Saturday, 04/30/2011

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis team defeated Bethel (Tenn.) 6-0 Friday to reach the championship round of an NAIA National Championship qualifying tournament.
    
The Gold Rush (12-9), ranked 11th in the NAIA and seeded first in the tournament, will play 23rd-ranked and second-seeded Martin Methodist for the championship at 12:30 p.m. EDT Saturday. The winner will receive an automatic berth in next month's national tourney.
    
Steffen Giles-Osborn, Sean Richardson and Hassan Abbas won in doubles and singles to help the Gold Rush snap a four-dual losing streak.
    
Giles-Osborn and Sean Richardson scored the first point of the dual with their 8-2 victory over Paolo Vecchi and Eduardo Espinar at No. 2 doubles. It was the first victory in five matches for the XU juniors.
    
Abbas and Zach Taylor beat Ryan Weatherly and Kristian Takac 8-3, and freshmen Amir Rahbar and Jonathan Aubrey completed the doubles sweep with an 8-6 decision against Joao Souza and Raphael Sousa.
    
Abbas clinched the dual with his 6-0, 6-2 victory over Souza at No. 1 singles. Giles-Osborn beat Espinar, an All-TranSouth Conference singles selection, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3, and Richardson topped Weatherly 6-0, 6-2 at No. 5.
    
Bethel finished 5-14 and lost 11 of its last 12 duals.
   
 Martin Methodist was a 6-1 winner against Cumberland in the other semifinal. Xavier beat Martin Methodist 6-3 on Feb. 18 at Nashville, Tenn.