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| Simone-Alyse Ewell Hometown: Detroit, Michigan H.S: The Roeper School |
The Gold Nuggets (4-4), ranked sixth, snapped a two-dual losing streak and recorded their first-ever victory in five attempts against the fifth-ranked Tigers (4-1).
Ewell, playing at the fifth flight, defeated Valeria Savina 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 after trailing 5-2 in the second set and 4-1 in the third.
"I had two options -- let the deficit get the best of me or relax and play like it was 0-0," Ewell said. "I just kept focusing. In the third set I tried to put a lot of pressure on my opponent. I was hitting approach shots and coming to the net. I was volleying for winners or forcing my opponent into errors."
"My teammates were there cheering for me every point, and that helped a lot, too."
Ewell won in three sets for the first time at Xavier. As a freshman she played three three-set matches, losing two with the other not completed. Ewell said she had not won in three sets since a juniors tournament about four years ago.
"Simone had an amazing match. Probably her best since she's come to Xavier," XU coach Alan Green said. "It came at a perfect time, because we needed it."
Xavier won 2-of-3 doubles matches -- Ewell and Amber Brown won 8-6 against Savina and Kelley Cohron at No. 3 -- and got singles victories from freshmen Nour Abbes and Sha'Nel Bruins.
Ewell was the only XU player to win in doubles and singles.
Abbes improved to 7-0 with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 victory against Dominika Jasova at the top flight. Bruins beat Cohron 6-0, 6-2 at No. 6 for her team-leading eighth singles victory of the season, which includes fall tournaments.
Brion Flowers and Brandi Nelson earned their first victory as doubles team, 9-7 at No. 2 against Maria Perdomo-Medina and Stephanie Moniz. Flowers also went three sets in singles, losing 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 to Zalina Nazarova at No. 3. That tied the dual at four victories apiece.
"It was a tough, grueling day for us," Green said. "It was as even a match as it could be. We did not have the fast start we had last night against Southeastern (Louisiana). All the doubles were tight. Brenau deserves a lot of credit for that (Coach) Andre (Ferreira) had his team ready to play. But we gutted it out."
It was Xavier's second victory of the season against a top-5 opponent. The Gold Nuggets won 9-0 at then-No. 2 William Carey on Feb. 14.
Xavier's next duals will be Saturday in Jackson, Miss., against Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opponents Fisk at 10 a.m. and Tougaloo at 2 p.m. The Gold Nuggets' next home dual will start at 2 p.m. on March 12 against Oral Roberts at XU Tennis Center.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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