Tennis teams conquer Prairie View A&M
For immediate release . . . February 22, 2007

NEW ORLEANS — The Xavier University of Louisiana women's tennis team earned its highest-ever national ranking Wednesday. On Thursday the Gold Nuggets proved they deserved it.

A day after climbing one spot to No. 12 in the NAIA top 25, the Gold Nuggets defeated Prairie View A&M 6-3 Thursday at City Park Tennis Center and remained unbeaten at 6-0. The victory was the Nuggets' third this season against an NCAA Division I opponent.

Xavier's men, who dropped out of the top 25 Wednesday, used Miroslav Vukicevic's three-set singles victory to clinch a 5-4 victory against Prairie View. The Gold Rush is 5-2 with two victories against NCAA Division I teams.

Coach Alan Green said he knew his Nuggets were headed in the right direction after Angelina Callis and Yuliem Dominguez defeated Prairie View's Melanie Brown and Melissa Guerrier 9-7 at No. 1 doubles.

"That was a hard match which could've gone either way," Green said. "At 7-7 Callis and Dominguez broke serve after going to deuce six or seven times, then held serve. I thought that set the tone for the rest of the match."

The Nuggets picked up one more doubles point when Dominique Bell and Colleen McArthur defeated Antoinette Majors and Marika Dawkins 8-2, then won four of six singles matches.

Prairie View is 0-3.

In the men's dual, Vukicevic and Cameron Knowles combined to score three of the Rush's five points. They beat John Koti and Nicolas Batemen 8-2 at No. 2 doubles, then took different paths to singles victories. Knowles, playing at No. 4, defeated Koti 6-3, 6-1 in the most decisive of Xavier's four singles triumphs. But Vukicevic, playing at No. 3, rallied in his third set against Kudzai Chiridza to win 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) and give the Rush a 5-2 lead in the dual.

"That was a hard-fought, come-from-behind victory for Vukicevic," Green said. "He looked down and out but somehow gave everything he had. Chiridza was up 5-4 and 6-5 serving for the match, but Vukicevic broke him both times."

Prairie View's men are 0-6.

Xavier, whose men and women are both 3-0 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, will travel to Jackson, Miss., for Saturday matches against GCAC opponents Tougaloo at 9 a.m. and Belhaven at 2 p.m. Neither Xavier team lost a set in defeating Tougaloo and Belhaven at City Park on Feb. 10.

Results:
Women
Xavier 6, Prairie View A&M 3
At City Park Tennis Center, New Orleans
Singles
No. 1 -- Melanie Brown (PV) d. Dominique Bell (XU) 6-4, 6-4.
No. 2 -- Yuliem Dominguez (XU) d. Melissa Guerrier (PV) 6-1, 6-3.
No. 3 -- Angelina Callis (XU) d. Marika Dawkins (PV) 6-1, 6-1. 
No. 4 -- Colleen McArthur (XU) d. Antoinette Majors (PV) 6-1, 6-3.
No. 5 -- Jihanna Mughnee (XU) d. Candace Culmer (PV) 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-8).
No. 6 -- Margaret Banks (PV) d. Alexandra Broussard (XU) 8-3.

Doubles
No. 1 -- Angelina Callis-Yuliem Dominguez (XU) d. Melanie Brown-Melissa Guerrier (PV) 9-7.
No. 2 -- Dominique Bell-Colleen McArthur (XU) d. Antoinette Majors-Marika Dawkins (PV) 8-2.
No. 3 -- Candace Culmer-Margaret Banks (PV) d. Jihanna Mughnee-Alexandra Broussard (XU) 8-4.

Records: Xavier 6-0, Prairie View A&M 0-3.

Men
Xavier 5, Prairie View A&M 4
At City Park Tennis Center, New Orleans
Singles
No. 1 -- Terry Richardson (XU) d. Andy Narido (PV) 7-5, 6-3.
No. 2 -- Nicolas Batemen (PV) d. Mario Myles (XU) 7-5, 6-1.
No. 3 -- Miroslav Vukicevic (XU) d. Kudzai Chiridza (PV) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8).
No. 4 -- Cameron Knowles (XU) d. John Koti (PV) 6-3, 6-1.
No. 5 -- Jose Garcia (PV) d. Vusumzi Kempele (XU) 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (12-10).
No. 6 -- Christopher Scurry (PV) d. Thomas Fugate (XU) 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (10-4).

Doubles
No. 1 -- Andy Narido-Kudzai Chiridza (PV) d. Mario Myles-Terry Richardson (XU) 8-6.
No. 2 -- Cameron Knowles-Miroslav Vukicevic (XU) d. John Koti-Nicolas Batemen (PV) 8-2.
No. 3 -- Vusumzi Kempele-Thomas Fugate (XU) d. Jose Garcia-Christopher Scurry (PV) 9-7.

Records: Xavier 5-2, Prairie View A&M 0-6.