XULA wins 2 titles at HBCU National Championships

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Charlene Goreau and Catalin Fifea won singles titles for Xavier University of Louisiana Saturday at the HBCU National Tennis Championships.

Goreau defeated Jackson State’s Tyler Smith 6-4, 7-5 to win the main draw of the women’s A-bracket. Fifea won the men’s A-bracket consolation title with an 8-1 decision against Alabama A&M’s Nishangan Nadaraja.

Goreau and Fifea were NAIA All-Americans for XULA last season. Goreau earned that honor for the second straight year.

“Charlene played phenomenally,” XULA coach Alan Green said. “She showed that her fitness level is better than last year, and she’s playing with more confidence.”

Goreau gained revenge for a 6-4, 7-5 loss to Smith in a dual match at JSU this past April.

Fifea won three consecutive consolation matches after losing in a super-tiebreaker in the main draw Thursday.

This was the first XULA event of the 2017-18 academic year. The Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets will return to the Atlanta area for the ITA NAIA South Regional Championships, a three-day tournament which will begin Friday at Lawrenceville, Ga.