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| Brandi Nelson wins in straight sets at #6 singles . |
MOBILE, Alabama -- Xavier University of Louisiana's women's tennis team defeated SCAD Savannah 5-0 Thursday to reach the semifinals of the NAIA National Championship for the third consecutive year.
Xavier's men were eliminated in the quarterfinals for the fourth straight year. Vanguard rallied to defeat the Gold Rush 5-4.
The Gold Nuggets (17-9) will play defending national champion Georgia Gwinnett, the No. 1 seed, at 1 p.m. Friday at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center.
Freshman Caroline Vernet and sophomore Brandi Nelson won in doubles and singles to lead the fifth-seeded Nuggets past the fourth-seeded Bees (13-5). It was the first time in eight tries that the XU women defeated a higher-seeded team at nationals.
Vernet and Nelson both won 6-0, 6-1 in singles, with Vernet clinching at the second flight against Maria Barragan. It was Vernet's second victory of the season against a nationally ranked NAIA opponent.
Vernet and Simone-Alyse Ewell won the final four games at the top flight to beat Camille Gbaguidi and Carolina Viteri 9-7 and complete a three-match doubles sweep.
The Xavier-Georgia Gwinnett winner will play second-seeded Auburn Montgomery or third-seeded Lindsey Wilson for the championship at 1 p.m. Saturday. No XU team in any sport has reached the NAIA's championship round.
In the men's dual, sixth-seeded Xavier (13-8) dropped 2-of-3 doubles matches, but got singles victories from Tushar Mandlekar, Nikita Soifer and Adam Albrecht to build a 4-3 lead. Then third-seeded Vanguard (27-1) won a pair of three-set matches, with Daymon Johnson beating Manav Chakma 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 to clinch at the fifth flight.
Vanguard's doubles victories came against XU's two ranked teams, Kyle Montrel/Soifer and Mandlekar/Chakma.
It was the third time in five years that the Lions eliminated the Gold Rush. Xavier lost to Vanguard for the second time this season.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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