XU Gold Nuggets again put the clamp on Edward Waters

TAYLOR REUTHER

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- Xavier University of Louisiana hit a season-high .493 Saturday and throttled Edward Waters 25-7, 25-6, 25-15 in Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball.

Taylor Reuther's 13 kills, Jodi Hill's career-high eight kills and freshman Destiny Jackson's first three aces of her collegiate career helped the Gold Nuggets (11-7, 3-0) extend their win streak to five. Xavier has won 31 in a row against GCAC opponents since the start of the 2011 season.

Edward Waters' 28 points are the second-fewest allowed by Xavier. Seven of the Gold Nuggets' top 14 defensive performances have occurred against the Lady Tigers. Xavier allowed its fewest-ever points in a second set.

Xavier's hitting percentage is its second highest since resuming the program in 2010. Hill hit .667 -- the best this season by an XU player with a minimum 10 attempts -- Reuther hit .550, and Chinedu Echebelem successfully converted all six of her attacks.

Hill and Reuther had two kills apiece in a 7-0 run to start the match. Xavier had eight- and nine-point runs in the second set.

Latavia Graham led Edward Waters (5-11, 0-6) with four kills.

Xavier limited the Lady Tigers to an .027 attack percentage and had advantages of 40-14 in kills, 8-2 in aces and 41-22 in digs. Jodi Chatters led Xavier with nine digs, and Echebelem had eight.

Jackson, in her most extensive playing time of the season, served back-to-back aces in the second set and also produced two assists and five digs.

Xavier will stay on the road and play another GCAC match at Talladega at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Gold Nuggets' next home matches will be next Saturday at the Convocation Center -- 1 p.m. against GCAC and city rival Dillard, then 4 p.m. against St. Thomas (Texas).


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