Gold Nuggets reach top 5 for first time since 2015

NEW ORLEANS — For the first time in nearly three years, Xavier University of Louisiana women's tennis is among the NAIA's top five.

The Gold Nuggets vaulted from 10th to fifth Tuesday in the coaches poll after winning four dual matches in Arizona to stretch their winning streak to six.

XULA's 5-1 victory Sunday against San Diego Christian was its sixth of the season against a ranked NAIA opponent and third against a top-10 member. All the victories occurred on the road.

"We took some lumps early in the season, but now we're playing much better," coach Alan Green said. "Getting to the top five is nice and rewarding because we are playing a tough schedule and earning it. But we still have more work to do."

Before Tuesday, the last time the Gold Nuggets were in the top five was on May 20, 2015 — No. 4 in the postseason poll.

The Gold Nuggets will play 14th-ranked SCAD Atlanta at noon Sunday at XULA Tennis Center.
Here are all the Gold Nuggets' active poll streaks:

• 52 consecutive appearances in the top 25 . . . streak began May 1, 2012.
• 52 consecutive appearances in the top 20 . . . streak began May 1, 2012.
• 11 consecutive appearances in the top 15 . . . streak began Feb. 28, 2017.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records through March 11)
Rank Previous School Record Points
1 1 Georgia Gwinnett (14) 9-1 374
2 2 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 2-1 357
3 3 Keiser (Fla.) 13-1 355
4 4 SCAD Savannah (Ga.) 6-1 338
5 10 Xavier (La.) 9-7 320
6 6 William Carey (Miss.) 6-1 313
7 7 Northwestern Ohio 4-2 302
8 9 William Woods (Mo.) 6-3 280
9 5 Indiana Wesleyan 23-1 276
10 12 Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 1-1 270
11 11 LSU-Alexandria (La.) 4-1 260
12 8 San Diego Christian (Calif.) 4-4 252
13 14 Middle Georgia State 6-4 222
14 15 SCAD Atlanta (Ga.) 3-3 211
15 RV Westmont (Calif.) 4-5 210
16 18 Brenau (Ga.) 3-5 186
17 16 Campbellsville (Ky.) 8-0 182
18 13 Arizona Christian 7-4 172
19 17 Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 3-5 158
20 19 Cumberland (Tenn.) 5-6 131
21 20 Mobile (Ala.) 5-4 127
22 RV Union (Ky.) 5-2 123
23 21 St. Thomas (Fla.) 4-6 118
24 RV Reinhardt (Ga.) 6-1 109
25 23 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 1-3 75
Others receiving votes: Georgetown (Ky.) 54; Tennessee Wesleyan 49; Coastal Georgia 48; Huntington (Ind.) 39; Southwestern (Kan.) 23; Marian (Ind.) 16; Loyola (La.) 13; Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 12; Cumberlands (Ky.) 4; Point (Ga.) 3; Asbury (Ky.) 3.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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