LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Xavier University of Louisiana trailed briefly in the first and third sets but still rolled to a 25-11, 25-16, 25-17 women's volleyball victory against Philander Smith in the opening round of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.
The Gold Nuggets (19-7), the defending champion, will play at 6 p.m. today against the winner of a 2 p.m. match between Talladega and Dillard. Philander Smith (7-28), the host school, will play in the losers bracket at 8:30 a.m. Friday against the loser of the Edward Waters-Tougaloo match.
Xavier trailed 3-0 and 4-1 to begin the match but took the lead to stay with a 6-0 run to give the Nuggets an 8-5 advantage. Xavier closed the set by winning 13 of the final 16 points, including another 6-0 run which gave the Nuggets a 21-9 lead.
The Nuggets scored the first seven points of the second set, then closed with a 12-4 burst after Philander Smith cut the margin to 13-12.
Xavier trailed 3-0 and 6-5 in the final set before scoring six consecutive points to take the lead to stay. The Nuggets ended the match by scoring the final five points.
"Everyone played well. No one stood out offensively," XU coach Christabell Hamilton said after the Nuggets' third consecutive victory and their 14th in 17 matches. "Jodi Chatters was pretty consistent on the back row."
Xavier defeated the Lady Panthers for the second time this season and leads the all-time series 3-0.
It's the third consecutive year that the Nuggets won their opening match in this tournament, which is double elimination.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
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