First-round win at nationals would be a first for XU

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana, firmly established as the elite volleyball program in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, again will take aim at loftier goals when it meets College of Idaho at 2 p.m. MST Saturday (3 p.m. New Orleans time) in the 2015 NAIA National Championship Opening Round at Caldwell, Idaho.

The winner will advance to pool play in the national tournament at Sioux City, Iowa, beginning Dec. 1.

Xavier qualified for nationals for the fifth consecutive year by winning its fifth straight GCAC Tournament title this past weekend, but the Gold Nuggets still are searching for their first victory in the opening round at nationals. Their narrowest miss was in 2013, when Xavier led 15-8, 19-15 and 22-20 in the fourth set at Spring Hill but lost in five sets. The Gold Nuggets lost in three sets in the opening round at Spring Hill in 2011 and at Lindsey Wilson a year ago, and they lost in four sets at Georgetown (Ky.) in 2012.

"We have to be smart and play together," said senior outside hitter Taylor Reuther, Xavier's leader in career kills (1,289), digs (1,334) and aces (176). "We have to take care of the little things."

"We have to be on our A-game," said senior middle blocker Claudia Haywood, the 2015 and 2013 GCAC Tournament MVP.

Xavier is 19-7 and has won 11 straight since a four-set loss Oct. 3 at Spring Hill. College of Idaho, which won the Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament, is 21-10, ranked 15th nationally and won 17 of its last 19. This is the sixth consecutive year and the seventh time overall that the Lady Yotes play host to an opening-round match. They're 5-1 in that round.

Leading C of I are Cascade Player of the Year Kylie Porter — who led the league with a .413 hitting percentage in conference matches — and All-America setter Sierra Porter, the only Lady Yote to reach 4,000 assists, 1,000 digs and 200 blocks in a career.

Xavier's other seniors are setter Franziska Pirkl, the program's all-time leader with 3,268 assists, libero/defensive specialist Darian Harris, outside hitter CeCe Williams and middle blocker Jodi Hill. Freshman outside/right-side hitter Ruby Hunt-Thompson (.288), Haywood (.285) and Hill (.256) rank 1-2-4 in the GCAC in hitting percentage.

"I am excited to see how well our team can do in this matchup," third-year XU coach Hannah Lawing said.

"College of Idaho is a different team than we normally face in our region. They're a bigger team, and they run a really fast, aggressive offense. We have seen aggressive offensive styles, but we haven't seen something as quick as this. College of Idaho is always on the offensive, even when they're playing defense."

This will be Xavier's third match this season against a top-25 team. The Gold Nuggets lost in three sets at home to No. 19 Wayland Baptist and at No. 20 Coastal Georgia during the first two weekends. Xavier never has beaten a ranked NAIA volleyball opponent.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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