Sunday, September 21, 2014

XU Nuggets 3-0 in GCAC after sweeping Philander Smith

XU women's volleyball vs. Philander Smith (Photo Gallery)

NEW ORLEANS -- Claudia Haywood and Jada Broussard combined for 22 kills Saturday, and Franziska Pirkl recorded her fourth double-double in five matches to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-23, 25-11, 25-22 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball victory against Philander Smith.

The Gold Nuggets (5-2, 3-0) have won five straight. They've won 46 consecutive matches against GCAC opponents -- 37 in the regular season -- and 44 straight against HBCUs.

Haywood had 12 kills, two blocks, hit a season-high .478 and reached double figures in kills for the fifth consecutive match. Broussard, a freshman, had 10 kills and hit .389, both career highs, and had two blocks. Pirkl had 34 assists, 11 digs and an ace.

Zyra Wright had 12 kills, three aces and two blocks for Philander Smith (4-10, 0-2).

The Gold Nuggets trailed 23-21 after leading 19-11 in the opening set, but they clinched with the help of two Philander Smith attack errors and two Jodi Hill kills. Xavier had 16-4 leads in the second and third sets and completed the sweep after Philander Smith closed the third-set score to 23-20.

Xavier outhit Philander Smith .232 to .059 -- .500 to minus-.029 in the second set -- and had advantages of 44-26 in kills and 71-46 in digs. Kayla Jones, a freshman, led Xavier with 13 digs. Darian Harris had 12 digs, and Chinedu Echebelem had 11.

Echebelem and CeCe Williams had seven kills apiece, and Hill had six.

Xavier will play Talladega at 7 p.m. Monday at the Convocation Center.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA



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