Kennesaw State defeats Gold Rush 9-0 in opener for both
January 28, 2011

Results

     NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana lost 9-0 Friday to NCAA Division I member Kennesaw State at City Park Tennis Center in the first men's dual match of the season for both schools.
     The dual was scored by NAIA rules.
     Xavier, a perennial national contender in the NAIA, lost its opener to an NCAA D-I opponent for the fourth straight year. Kennesaw, in its third season, won an opener for the first time.
     Kennesaw State won every set except at No. 1 singles, where Simon Janik needed a super tiebreaker to defeat Steffen Giles-Osborn 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-1). The Owls swept the three doubles matches, then clinched the dual at No. 3 singles when Elliot Kahler defeated Hassan Abbas 6-1, 6-3.
     It was the first XU dual match for junior Zach Taylor, who redshirted last season, and freshmen Amir Rahbar and Jonathan Aubrey. Taylor and Abbas lost 8-3 at No. 1 doubles to Kahler and Janik, and Gianni Kubin beat Taylor 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2 singles.
     Rahbar and Aubrey lost 8-3 to Michael Langel and Ryan Spencer at No. 3 singles. Aubrey lost 6-2, 6-3 to Langel at No. 6 singles, and Gokalp Ozdemir beat Rahbar 6-4, 6-3 at No. 4.
     Ozdemir and Kubin beat Giles-Osborn and Sean Richardson 8-6 at No. 2 doubles, and Richardson lost 6-1, 6-1 to Spencer at No. 5.
     The next Gold Rush match will start at noon Sunday against city rival Loyola at the University of New Orleans Tennis Center. XU's women will play their first dual at 10 a.m. Saturday at another city rival, NCAA D-I Tulane.