Gold Nuggets fall from 3rd to 6th in NAIA coaches poll

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana dropped three places -- from third to sixth -- in the NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll on Tuesday.

After recording their highest-ever preseason ranking two weeks ago, the Gold Nuggets have split their first six dual matches. They won 9-0 Friday at No. 2 William Carey but lost 5-2 Sunday to Georgia Gwinnett, which beat William Carey on Saturday. Georgia Gwinnett then leapfrogged 18 schools to grab the No. 2 ranking.

Xavier also lost to NCAA Division I members Tulane and Louisiana-Lafayette.

It's the Gold Nuggets' ninth consecutive appearance in the top 10 and their 14th in a row in the top 25.

Three of the five teams ranked ahead of Xavier -- No. 1 Auburn Montgomery, No. 3 Lindsey Wilson and No. 5 Brenau -- remain on the Nuggets' schedule. Xavier will play Brenau on Monday in Mobile, Ala., to conclude a Nuggets stretch of four duals in four days.

Xavier will visit McNeese State at 2 p.m. Friday, then play on consecutive days at the XU Tennis Center -- 3 p.m. Saturday against Alabama State, 1 p.m. Sunday against Southeastern Louisiana -- before meeting Brenau in a neutral-site dual.

New rankings will be announced March 4.

The top 25:

1. Auburn Montgomery
2. Georgia Gwinnett
3. Lindsey Wilson
4. SCAD Savannah
5. Brenau
6. Xavier
7. Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
8. Northwood (Fla.)
9. Vanguard
10. Lewis-Clark State
11. Oklahoma Baptist
12. Westmont
13. William Carey
14. Concordia (Calif.)
15. SCAD Atlanta
16. Indiana Wesleyan
17. Olivet Nazarene
18. Cumberland
19. Coastal Georgia
20. Milligan
21. Campbellsville
22. Marian (Ind.)
23. Southeastern (Fla.)
24. Davenport
25. Bethel (Kan.)

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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