Gold Nuggets beat SUNO, gain tie for 1st in GCAC

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana came from behind in all three sets, beat SUNO 28-26, 26-24, 25-23 and moved into a first-place tie in Gulf Coast Athletic Conference volleyball Saturday.
     
The Gold Nuggets (15-7, 9-1) won their seventh in a row and avenged a five-set loss to the Lady Knights (15-8, 9-1) from Sept. 25 — Xavier's only loss to a GCAC opponent in the last five seasons. Both teams have two conference matches remaining but cannot meet again until the conference tournament next month in Little Rock, Ark.
    
 Claudia Haywood — a GCAC Preseason Co-Player of the Year and one of six Gold Nuggets honored during a senior-day ceremony — had 13 kills and two blocks. Jodi Hill had 11 kills, one block and an ace, freshman Ruby Hunt-Thompson had 10 kills, two aces and three blocks, and Taylor Reuther had nine kills and 11 digs.


  
Hill, Reuther, Darian Harris (15 digs), Franziska Pirkl (43 assists, eight digs, one block) and CeCe Williams (five kills, 10 digs) are Xavier's other seniors.
     
"We had so much energy out there," said Reuther, Xavier's career leader in kills, digs and aces. "We wanted to play for each other and not be selfish."
     
Xavier won the first set after trailing 18-16 and saving set points at 24-23 and 26-25. Reuther's kill tied the score at 26, then two attack errors gave the Gold Nuggets the set.
     
The Gold Nuggets trailed 11-6 and 15-12 in the second set but got kills from Haywood, Hill, Reuther and Hunt-Thompson in the final 10 rallies to extend their lead. Xavier trailed 18-16 in the third set before Hill produced three kills — the first to put the Nuggets ahead to stay at 19-18, the third to end the match.
     
"Our seniors did a really good job," XU coach Hannah Lawing said. "We sided out quickly and and figured out where to put the ball on the other side of the floor."
     
Shannon Jones had 10 kills and Milica Golubovic nine for SUNO, and Ana Privat had 20 digs.
     
SUNO outhit Xavier .189 to .172, outblocked the Nuggets 8-5, and both teams had 66 digs and three aces. But Xavier had a 52-41 advantage in kills.
     
Xavier will finish the regular season with conference matches Monday at Philander Smith and Nov. 9 at Dillard. SUNO will close at Talladega on Monday and Thursday at home against Dillard. The GCAC Tournament will be Nov. 13-14.



BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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