Gold Rush, Gold Nuggets lose at Nicholls State

THIBODAUX, Louisiana -- Sam Meessen defeated Vincenzo Ciccone 6-3, 6-0 Tuesday to clinch Nicholls State's 4-3 men's tennis victory against Xavier University of Louisiana.

Nicholls State's women defeated Xavier 4-0.

Nicholls' men (3-7) rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits.

The Gold Rush (8-3) won the doubles point. Kevin Chaouat and Adam Albrecht defeated Evan Karatzas and Meessen 8-5, and Kyle Montrel and Nikita Soifer beat Partha Adavelly and Lukas Clemens 8-5. Montrel is 11-0 this semester in doubles, 7-0 with Soifer.

In singles, Montrel beat Adavelly 7-5, 6-1, and Karatzas retired because of injury while trailing Soifer 6-2, 5-7, 3-0.

In the women's dual, Xavier's Nour Abbes and Carmen Nelson defeated Marie Aubert and Milou Pietersz 8-6, but the Colonels (8-2) won the doubles point when Kateryna Nakonechna and Isla Brock beat Caroline Vernet and Simone-Alyse Ewell 9-8 (7-2). Ewell lost for the first time in 21 doubles decisions dating to February 2014.

Nakonechna clinched the dual when she defeated Brandi Nelson 6-4, 6-2.

Both XU teams maintained their positions in the NAIA coaches polls announced early Tuesday evening. The Gold Rush are sixth, and the Gold Nuggets are seventh. The next polls will be released March 31.

Both XU teams will travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., to play NAIA-ranked William Carey at 3 p.m. Thursday.

The NAIA women's top 25:

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

The NAIA men's top 25:

1. Georgia Gwinnett
2. Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
3. Auburn Montgomery
4. Vanguard
5. Lindsey Wilson
6. Xavier
7. Bethany (Kan.)
8. Westmont
9. Concordia (Calif.)
10. Northwestern Ohio
11. Belhaven
12. Northwood (Fla.)
13. (tie) Graceland
13. (tie) Coastal Georgia
15. San Diego Christian
16. Dalton State
17. SCAD Atlanta
18. Oklahoma Baptist
19. Lewis-Clark State
20. Campbellsville
21. William Carey
22. SCAD Savannah
23. Indiana Wesleyan
24. Olivet Nazarene
25. Aquinas


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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