LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — A first-set loss did not deter Xavier University of Louisiana in the championship match of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament.
The Gold Nuggets roared back Saturday, getting 16 kills and three blocks from tournament MVP Claudia Haywood and a 23-25, 27-25, 25-21, 25-15 victory that gave Xavier its fifth consecutive championship.
"Coaches always have doubts when things don't start well," XU coach Hannah Lawing said, "but you've got to push those doubts out of your mind. SUNO played fantastic, but we found ways to capitalize on our opportunities."
The victory qualified Xavier (19-7) for the NAIA National Championship for the fifth straight year. The Gold Nuggets will learn by Monday of their first-round destination and opponent.
Haywood, a senior middle blocker, was chosen tournament MVP for the second time in three years. Teammates Taylor Reuther, Jodi Hill and Franziska Pirkl were chosen all-tournament, with Reuther earning that honor for the fourth time.
"I thought Taylor was going to be MVP, because she played great," Haywood said. "MVP wasn't about me. I couldn't have won it without my teammates."
"Claudia deserved MVP," Reuther said. "She's a fantastic player. She plays her butt off every play."
Hill had 11 kills, three aces and two blocks. Reuther had 10 kills, 10 digs, one ace and one block, and Pirkl had five kills, 46 assists, two aces, 11 digs and two blocks. Darian Harris had 24 digs, and CeCe Williams had 12 digs.
SUNO (19-8) lost in the finals for the third straight year and the fifth time in six years. The Lady Knights shared the regular-season championship with Xavier after becoming the only GCAC opponent of the last five seasons to defeat the Nuggets. That SUNO victory occurred Sept. 25 in five sets at SUNO.
Xavier lost a set in the title round for the first time but rallied to tie the match on its fourth set point. The Gold Nuggets led 9-1 in the third set and won the final set by double digits after trailing 5-1.
"We played with a lot of confidence in the third set, and it stayed with us," Reuther said. "SUNO played with a lot of heart and played together, but we had to show them we were No. 1."
Marija Stojijkovoc had 12 kills for SUNO, and Johnee LeBlanc had eight kills and 20 digs.
Hill had 13 kills, three aces, four blocks and hit .500 Saturday in Xavier's 25-13, 25-5, 25-16semifinal victory against Talladega. The Gold Nuggets, who had a bye in Friday's first round, hit a season-high .481 against Talladega.
Like her six seniors — Harris, Haywood, Hill, Pirkl, Reuther and Williams — Lawing has been part of four GCAC tourney championships. The first occurred in 2012 as an assistant coach, the last three as head coach. Reuther is a fifth-year senior who missed the 2014 season because of injury.
Including tournaments, Xavier has won 72 of its last 73 matches against GCAC opponents. The Nuggets have not lost in the GCAC Tournament since a five-setter against SUNO in the 2010 semifinals.
BOX SCORE
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information DirectorXULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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