Men’s Tennis: Lopez Clinches Ragin’ Cajuns Sweep Of Xavier On Senior Day

LAFAYETTE – Senior Edgar Lopez helped the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns men’s tennis team get off to a good start in the nightcap of a Senior Day doubleheader, teaming up with Eric Perez for a win at No. 1 doubles, before recording a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles to clinch a 4-2 victory over Xavier (N.O.) on Sunday at Cajun Courts.
 
In the opener, Louisiana claimed the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and No. 3 before earning straight set victories at No. 3, 5 and 6 singles to record a 4-0 victory.
 
Will Huyton and Arthur Libaud claimed a hard-fought 7-6 (8-6) win at No. 2 doubles to clinch the doubles point in the nightcap for Louisiana (15-10) and help the Ragin’ Cajuns earn their third consecutive victory. Xavier, ranked No. 3 nationally in the NAIA poll, fell to 11-5 on the season.
 
Louisiana will wrap up the regular-season next week with matches at Southern Miss (April 8) and New Orleans (April 10) before heading to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, April 22-24, at City Park in New Orleans.
 
MATCH 1 – Louisiana 4, Xavier 0
Vlad Kramarov and Coleman Wahlborg picked up a 6-2 win over Xavier’s Adam Albrecht and Manav Chakma at No. 3 doubles before the Cajuns clinched the doubles point and took a 1-0 lead as Huyton and Libaud earned a 6-4 win over Kyle Montrel and Karan Salwan at No. 2.
 
Libaud, playing at No. 3 singles for the first time this season, got the Ragin’ Cajuns going in singles after rallying from a 4-1 deficit in the second set and claiming a 6-0, 6-4 win over Montrel. Perez captured his third straight victory in singles play as followed with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Kevin Chaouat at No. 5 before Wahlborg clinched the match at No. 6 with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Albrecht.
 
MATCH 2 – Louisiana 4, Xavier 2
The Ragin’ Cajuns snapped a 2-2 tie as Perez earned a 6-3, 6-4 win over Tushar Mandlekar at No. 5 singles, before Lopez clinched the match a few minutes later with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Salwan at No. 2 singles.
 
Louisiana opened doubles play as Lopez and Perez defeated Montrel and Mandlekar at No. 1 doubles, 6-4.
 
The Gold Rush tandem of Albrecht and Chakma would earn a 6-2 win at No. 3 doubles against Kramarov and Wahlborg before Louisiana clinched the point as Huyton and Libaud won their third straight match, and improved to 10-9 on the season with a 7-6 (8-6) win over Thomas Setodji and Chaouat (XU) at No. 2 doubles.
 
Xavier would tie the match at 1-1 as Setodji defeated Huyton at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-2, and at 2-2 when Albrecht recorded a 6-4, 6-2 win over Wahlborg at No. 6.
 
Kramarov posted a 6-2, 6-2 win over Chaouat at No. 4 singles that gave Louisiana a 2-1 lead.
 
MATCH 1
Louisiana 4, Xavier (N.O.) 0
April 3, 2016 at Lafayette, La. (Cajun Courts)
 
Singles competition
1. Edgar Lopez (UL) vs. Karan Salwan (XU) 6-4, unfinished
2. Will Huyton (UL) vs. Thomas Setodji (XU) 6-3, 3-2, unfinished
3. Arthur Libaud (UL) def. Kyle Montrel (XU) 6-0, 6-4
4. Vlad Kramarov (UL) vs. Tushar Mandlekar (XU) 6-1, 4-3, unfinished
5. Eric Perez (UL) def. Kevin Chaouat (XU) 6-3, 6-2
6. Coleman Wahlborg (UL) def. Adam Albrecht (XU) 6-2, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. Edgar Lopez/Eric Perez (UL) vs. Kevin Chaouat/Thomas Setodji (XU) 5-5, unfinished
2. Will Huyton/Arthur Libaud (UL) def. Kyle Montrel/Karan Salwan (XU) 6-4
3. Vlad Kramarov/Coleman Wahlborg (UL) def. Adam Albrecht/Manav Chakma (XU) 6-2
 
Match Notes
Xavier 11-4
Louisiana 14-10
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (3,5,6)
 
MATCH 2
Louisiana 4, Xavier (N.O.) 2
April 3, 2016 at Lafayette, La. (Cajun Courts)
 
Singles competition
1. Thomas Setodji (XU) def. Will Huyton (UL) 6-1, 6-2
2. Edgar Lopez (UL) def. Karan Salwan (XU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Arthur Libaud (UL) vs. Kyle Montrel (XU) 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, unfinished
4. Vlad Kramarov (UL) def. Kevin Chaouat (XU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Eric Perez (UL) def. Tushar Mandlekar (XU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Adam Albrecht (XU) def. Coleman Wahlborg (UL) 6-4, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. Edgar Lopez/Eric Perez (UL) def. Kyle Montrel/Tushar Mandlekar (XU) 6-4
2. Will Huyton/Arthur Libaud (UL) def. Thomas Setodji/Kevin Chaouat (XU) 7-6 (8-6)
3. Manav Chakma/Karan Salwan (XU) def. Vlad Kramarov/Coleman Wahlborg (UL) 6-3
 
Match Notes
Xavier (N.O.) 11-5
Louisiana 15-10
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (1,4,6,5,2)