Men’s Tennis: Battles To Doubleheader Sweep Over Xavier (La.)

LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Men’s Tennis (18-5) got back on the winning track, with a pair of well-earned wins, 4-1, 4-0, over Xavier [La.] (6-4), ranked No. 3 in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, in a Wednesday evening doubleheader at Cajun Courts.

Senior Arthur Libaud and juniors Pearse Dolan and Jamie Fraser each snagged two wins in the two matches, including two three-set comebacks by Fraser and Libaud in the first match to help power Louisiana during the evening.

HOW IT HAPPENED (First Match): The first match was hotly contested, with both sides showing their emotions across the six courts.  Louisiana did get off to a 1-0 start, since Xavier (La.) only brought five players to the match, but that did not affect the emotion of the evening.

Louisiana’s first win came at No. 2 when Dolan took care of Samir Chikhaoui in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, to extend Louisiana’s lead to 2-0.  The first three set comeback of the match, came at No. 3, when Libaud came back on Gabriel Niculescu, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, and with a passionate explosion by the Louisiana Frenchman, the Ragin’ Cajuns had gotten within one win of the victory.

At No. 1, Xavier (La.) did get one back, when freshman Jan Galka fell to Santiago Perez in straight sets.  But at No. 5, Fraser came storming back against Pierre Andrieu, winning 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, to lock up the win for Louisiana, 4-1, in the first match of the evening.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Second Match): In the second match of the evening, Louisiana cruised through its four victories, starting with another forfeit at No. 6, Louisiana got off to a 1-0 lead.  At No. 5, Fraser again took down Andrieu, this time in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0, to give Louisiana a 2-0 lead.

At No. 4, Libaud faced off with Chris Anders, winning in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, to put Louisiana on the cusp of a doubleheader sweep.  The clinching win came at No. 2, when Dolan, facing Chikhaoui for the second time in the evening, handled the match in straight sets to lock up the 4-0 win for Louisiana. 

UP NEXT FOR THE CAJUNS: Louisiana remains at Cajun Courts with its Sun Belt Conference openers against Georgia Southern (Mar. 22) and Georgia State (Mar. 24).