3rd-ranked Gold Nuggets beat Lewis-Clark State for 8th straight victory

NEW ORLEANS — There weren’t many NAIA athletic competitions Friday in the wake of recent nationwide COVID-19 (Coronavirus) cancellations, suspensions and postponements, but undaunted and determined Xavier University of Louisiana women’s tennis hit the court and left it with a 6-1 victory against Lewis-Clark State.

It was the eighth consecutive victory for the Gold Nuggets (10-1), ranked third in the NAIA.

“I hope it’s not the last time we play this season,” said Alan Green, XULA’s 17th-year head coach and director of tennis. “Just gotta wait and see.”

There will be no tennis this weekend. Southern Miss canceled a Saturday home match against the Gold Nuggets, and Nicholls postponed its Sunday home match against the XULA men.

Another NCAA Division I school, Colgate, had a tentative agreement to visit the Gold Nuggets Monday — but Colgate’s season ended Thursday when the Patriot League Council of Presidents canceled all spring athletics practices and competitions through the remainder of the academic year.

Angela Charles-Alfred, Lailaa Bashir, Yi Chen Pao and Angelica De Vincenzis won in doubles and singles for XULA. Lacee Ancar clinched with her 6-2, 7-5 victory against Kyla Collier at No. 6 singles.

Charles-Alfred and Bashir, the No. 1 women’s doubles team among small colleges, rolled to a 6-1 victory against Collier and Begona Andres. XULA beat a pair of regionally ranked singles players; Charles-Alfred defeated West No. 16 Andres 6-2, 6-2, and Yi Chen Pao, in the final completed match, beat No. 13 Laura Rosselli 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.

Sophie Uhlenkott was a double winner — No. 3 doubles and No. 5 singles — for Lewis-Clark State (3-8), which was among “others receiving votes” (34th place) in this week’s NAIA coaches poll.