Xavier (24-7), the two-time defending champion of this event, will play Philander Smith or Talladega in the semifinals at noon Friday. The championship match will start at 11 a.m. Saturday.
The Gold Nuggets extended a record with their 18th consecutive victory — they haven't lost a match since Sept. 7 — and set or tied XU marks for:
• Victories in a season. The previous record was 23 in 2012.
• Fewest points allowed in a match, 19. The previous record was 22 against Tougaloo in 2010.
• Highest individual hitting percentage in a postseason match: .700 by Kerris Crier. The previous mark was .692 by Erin Vincent against Edward Waters in 2010.
• Highest team hitting percentage in a postseason match: .485, which shattered the previous mark of .429 against Tougaloo in 2010.
• Most individual aces in a postseason match: six by Emily Reuther, matching Eva Bobkova's mark against Tougaloo in 2010.
Crier, the lone XU senior, produced eight kills and one error in 10 attacks and was one of four Nuggets to hit higher than .500. Moira Kirk hit .667 with 11 kills and one error in 15 attacks, Jodi Hill hit .600 with nine kills in 15 attacks, and Taylor Reuther, Emily's older sister, hit .533 with eight kills in 15 attacks.
The Gold Nuggets scored the final eight points of the first set, the final 18 points of the second set and produced a 12-0 run in the third.
Xavier served 14 aces, one less than its season high. Jodi Chatters and Darian Harris served two apiece.
Xavier has won 41 matches in a row, nine in the tournament, against GCAC opponents since the start of the 2011 season.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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