Gold Rush rally, but Privateers prevail in 4-3 victory
April 2, 2011

Results:  Men    Women

     NEW ORLEANS — Abdelrahman Zaki rallied to defeat Xavier University of Louisiana's Zach Taylor 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 at No. 3 singles and give the University of New Orleans a 4-3 men's tennis victory Saturday at UNO.
     The Privateers (8-2) held off the Gold Rush (11-7) after Xavier won three consecutive singles matches to tie the dual at 3.
     UNO defeated Xavier 5-1 in the women's dual.
     Hossam Meligy gave UNO's men a 3-0 lead when he defeated Amir Rahbar 6-2, 6-3 at No. 4 singles. But the Gold Rush fought back, with Steffen Giles-Osborn beating Benjamin Bouhana 7-5, 6-4 at No. 2, Sean Richardson defeating Oliver Grimbly 6-4, 6-1 at No. 5 and Hassan Abbas beating Vinay Kamineni 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) at No. 1.
     Abbas also won in doubles, teaming with Taylor for an 8-6 decision against Bouhana and Meligy at No. 1. It was the second straight year that Abbas won in doubles against the Privateers. But UNO, aided by a Xavier default at No. 3 doubles, won the doubles point. Xavier also defaulted at No. 6 singles.
     It was the fourth time this season that the Gold Rush, ranked eighth in the NAIA, lost to an NCAA Division I opponent.
     UNO's women (5-7) won despite having only four available players, one fewer than Xavier. The Gold Nuggets (3-13), losing for the 11th time in 12 duals, scored their only point when Ashley McGill won by default at No. 5 singles. The XU women failed to win a set in any of the completed matches.
     The Gold Nuggets will play Southern at 10 a.m. Sunday at City Park, and both XU teams will travel to William Carey for 10 a.m. duals April 10.