DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Xavier (La.) men's tennis team came from behind to edge Embry-Riddle 5-4 at the Crotty Tennis Complex on Monday. Ranked No. 2 in the NAIA, the Gold Rush improved to 8-7, while the Eagles, who are ranked eighth in NCAA II, fall to 9-4 on the year.
 
The first match off the court was at No. 2 doubles where Juan Ortiz Couder and Lucas Bos downed Chris Anders and Pierre Andrieu 8-5. The Gold Rush and the Eagles each notched a point in the remaining two doubles contests, both of which went to a tiebreaker. At the third position Gabriel Niculescu and Samir Chikhoui held off Deepak Vishavkarma and Mickael Faucher 9-8 (3) to tie the score at 1-1, but the third-ranked duo of Rodolfo Arreygue and Andres Donayre came from behind to top Shaikh Abdullah and Antoine Richard 9-8 (4) and give the Blue and Gold a 2-1 edge heading into singles.
 
The ERAU advantage was erased when 50^th-ranked Abdullah downed Vishavkarma 6-2, 6-2 at the third singles position, but Arreygue reclaimed the lead for the Eagles with his 6-1, 6-1 defeat of Niculescu on court five. Ortiz Couder, who is ranked 39^th in NCAA II, widened the gap to 4-2 with his 6-2, 6-3 win over NAIA No. 20 Catalin Fifea, but Andrieu battled to a 6-2, 0-6, 6-2 win over Faucher on court six, and Chikhoui held off Bos 6-2, 7-6 (4) to knot the tem score at 4-4.
 
At No. 2 singles, Donayre took the first set 6-2, but Richard rebounded to win the next two sets, 6-4, 6-2, and clinch the victory for Xavier.
 
The Eagles return to Sunshine State Conference action on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. when they host Rollins at the Crotty Tennis Complex.