XU Gold Nuggets sweep SUNO to extend their many streaks

NEW ORLEANS -- Moira Kirk had 10 kills, and Jodi Hill had career bests of nine kills and an .818 hitting percentage Monday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-17, 25-15, 25-16 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball victory against SUNO.

The Gold Nuggets (18-7, 7-0) extended a a school record with their 12th consecutive victory. They've won 10 in a row at home -- all six in their first season at the Convocation Center -- and 29 consecutive GCAC regular-season matches.

Delores Tyler had 11 kills for SUNO (13-10, 9-2), which has dropped eight straight to Xavier over three seasons. The Lady Knights have won 18 of their last 22 conference matches, but all the losses are to Xavier.

Xavier trailed 5-1, 12-7 and 15-11 before winning the first set with a 14-2 run which included six SUNO attack errors. Kirk's ace tied the score at 15, and two consecutive SUNO attack errors put Xavier ahead to stay.

The Gold Nuggets closed the second set with a 16-5 run and scored the final five points of the match, which ended after Taylor Reuther's block of a SUNO attack.

Hill had six kills in as many attempts during the second set. Her match hitting percentage is the second highest by an XU player with 10 or more attacks since the program resumed in 2010.

CeCe Williams had 17 kills against the Lady Knights for the second time this season. Williams produced nine digs in the opening set. Claudia Haywood had eight kills and four blocks, and setter Franziska Pirkl hit .571 in seven attempts with four kills, 30 assists, five digs and two blocks.

Kirk produced double figures in kills for the fifth time in six matches and the 38th time in her career.

Xavier outhit SUNO .368 to .046 and had advantages of 42-28 in kills, 49-38 in digs and 6-2 in blocks. SUNO had a 6-3 advantage in aces but recorded eight service errors, twice as many as the Nuggets. The Lady Knights committed 37 errors, nearly twice as many as Xavier's 19.

Including GCAC Tournament matches, the Gold Nuggets have won 35 in a row against conference opponents. SUNO was the last GCAC team to beat Xavier; that occurred in the 2010 tournament semifinals.

Xavier's next match will start at 7 p.m. Wednesday against GCAC opponent Tougaloo at the Convocation Center.

Box Score

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