Prairie View hits .405, hands Xavier first home loss

NEW ORLEANS -- Jasmine Houston and Christine Ruckman produced nine kills apiece Thursday, leading hot-hitting Prairie View A&M to a 25-17, 25-17, 25-14 women's volleyball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana.

The Lady Panthers (4-13) had a .405 attack percentage -- .500 in the second set -- and earned their first road victory of the season in 12 attempts. They gave the Gold Nuggets (11-4) their first home loss in seven matches this year.

Prairie View, an NCAA Division I team, had a 40-20 advantage in kills. Maegan Coleman and Bruna Menezes had six kills apiece for the Lady Panthers, and Jasmine Wells had five. Skye Terrell and Breanna McNeil each served two aces, and Shanice Faison had nine digs.

Xavier, an NAIA team losing for the second time in 11 matches, got six kills from Taylor Reuther and five from Moira Kirk. Celeste Poe and Chinedu Echebelem each served two aces,

The Gold Nuggets never led after 8-7 in the first set, 4-3 in the second set and 7-6 in the third. Prairie View scored the final six points of the first set and had runs of 6-0 in the second set and 12-1 in the third. Houston and Arbuckle ended the match in the 65th minute with their block of a Kirk attack.

Xavier, in a stretch of five matches in four days, will play Friday at Dillard's Dent Hall against Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opponents Philander Smith at noon and Tougaloo at 7 p.m. The Gold Nuggets are 5-0 in the GCAC and hold a one-match lead over SUNO. Prairie View will travel to Baton Rouge, La., and play Jackson State at 11 a.m. Friday in Southern University's tournament.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS