NEW ORLEANS – The Wildcats came back from deficits of 2-1 and 4-3 to defeat the nation's second-ranked NAIA men's tennis program from Xavier of Louisiana, 5-4, Friday at the XULA Tennis Center.
ACU has won its last four matches to improve to 13-8 and snapped the Gold Rush's six-match winning streak, which earlier included a 4-0 win over Nicholls of the Southland Conference. Xavier is now 7-7 on the spring.
With the match hosted by XULA, each doubles decision was counted as a single point and the Gold Rush began today's dual by winning two of three contests led by their No. 1 and 3 pairings, which both posted winning scores of 8-5.
D1 doubles matches only go to six points.
The Wildcats, however, did not trail for long and grabbed their first lead early in singles play with brothers Josh and
Jonathan Sheehy each winning in straight sets. Jonathan beat Samir Chikhaoui, 6-0, 6-1, and Josh followed with a victory over 20th-ranked Catalin Fifea, 6-3, 6-0, to remain tied with one another for the team's best singles record at 13-5. Both brothers also are riding a five-match winning streak.
The lead soon returned to XULA as the Gold Rush captured wins at the No. 3 and 5 positions. Shaikh Abdullah, who is the 50th-ranked NAIA player in the nation defeated ACU's Niko Moceanu, 6-2, 6-3, to tie the team score at 3-3, and Pierre Andrieu brought his team to the brink with his 6-1, 6-4 decision over senior
Paul Michael Domanski.
ACU would turn the tables once more at the tail end of the dual. Senior
Hunter Holman tied the score a final time at 4-4 with his 6-2, 6-3 win vs. Chris Anders, and senior
Henry Adams earned the match-clinching point, topping Gabriel Niculescu, 7-6 (7-0), 6-4. Holman has won his last three matches, and Adams his last four.
The Wildcats conclude their Canjun Country road trip Saturday with a 10:30 a.m. dual vs. Southland Conference rival New Orleans. ACU's women's team also will play the Privateers tomorrow in addition to a Sunday dual at Southeastern Louisiana.
Abilene Christian 5, #2 Xavier N.O. 4
March 23, 2018 at New Orleans, La. (XULA Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1.
Josh Sheehy (ACU) def. #20 Catalin Fifea (XULA) 6-3, 6-0
2.
Jonathan Sheehy (ACU) def. Samir Chikhaoui (XULA) 6-0, 6-1
3. #50 Shaikh Abdullah (XULA) def. Niko Moceanu (ACU) 6-2, 6-3
4.
Henry Adams (ACU) def. Gabriel Niculescu (XULA) 7-6 (7-0), 6-4
5. Pierre Andrieu (XULA) def. Paul M. Domanski (ACU) 6-1, 6-4
6.
Hunter Holman (ACU) def. Chris Anders (XULA) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Shaikh Abdullah/Antoine Richard (XULA) def.
Josh Sheehy/Paul M. Domanski (ACU) 8-5
2.
Jonathan Sheehy/
Cole Lawson (ACU) def. Chris Anders/Pierre Andrieu (XULA) 8-4
3. Gabriel Niculescu/Samir Chikhaoui (XULA) def.
Brad Gleason/
Henry Adams (ACU) 8-5
Match Notes
Abilene Christian 13-8
Xavier N.O. 7-7; National ranking #2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (2,1,3,5,6,4)
