McNeese defeats Xavier despite Opata, Callis victories
April 18, 2009

Results

     NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Anastesia Opata and Angelina Callis again proved their worth as ranked NAIA women's tennis players. But NCAA Division I member McNeese State had more depth and defeated the Gold Nuggets 6-3 Saturday in a dual match at Tulane's Goldring Stadium.
     It was the regular-season finale for the 16th-ranked Gold Nuggets (16-6), whose next match will be Friday in the semifinals of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament at Mobile. It was the final dual of the season for McNeese (6-14), which snapped a four-match losing streak.
     Opata and Callis accounted for all the points in a dual scored under NAIA rules. Callis and Opata, No. 10 in the ITA/NAIA doubles rankings, scored the first point of the dual when they defeated Victoria Martinez and Ralista Pirdopska 8-1. But McNeese won the next six matches to clinch the team decision.
     Callis, No. 49 in NAIA singles, and No. 19 Opata finished the dual with close victories. Callis fought off two match points in the second set and rallied for a 6-7, 7-5, 1-0 (10-4) victory over Martinez. Then Opata beat Pirdopska 7-5, 7-6 in matchup of each team's best player.
     "It was a great comeback by Angelina," said Xavier coach Alan Green. "She kept believing in herself and didn't lose her composure."
     Callis and Opata share the team lead with 17 singles victories.
     McNeese swept the other four singles matches and didn't lose more than three games in any of the sets.
     "We just didn't have the numbers to keep up with McNeese," Green said. "McNeese was stronger top to bottom. We're a couple of players away from being able to beat teams like that."
     Xavier was 3-5 against Division I opponents this season. McNeese snapped the Nuggets' three-dual win streak and gave them their second loss in their past 10 duals.