Nuggets 2-0 on final day of UMobile Invitational

MOBILE, Alabama — Sophomore Angele McClain capped a scintillating Saturday of hitting with 10 kills and a .429 percentage to help Xavier University of Louisiana volleyball defeat William Carey 19-25, 25-19, 27-25, 25-17 in the University of Mobile Invitational.
     
The Gold Nuggets (8-4) won both their matches on the final day of the tournament. They defeated Life in four sets in the earlier match. Next will be a three-match home stand against city rivals: 6 p.m. Tuesday against Loyola, 1 p.m. Saturday against Dillard — XULA's Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener — and 6 p.m. Sept. 17 against SUNO.
     
McClain hit .462 Saturday, and her 10 kills and five blocks against William Carey were career highs. McClain is in her first season at XULA after transferring from NCAA Division II Spring Hill.
     
McClain accounted for XULA's final two kills of the third set, which the Gold Nuggets won after trailing 22-19.
    
Kayla Black had 18 kills for XULA, and Taylor Ducros had a career-high 19 digs. Eva Le Guillouproduced her seventh double-double this season, 41 assists and 11 digs. Beatrice Formilan had 15 digs, and Jaida Dowd had seven kills and a season-high 14 digs.
     
Christine Kugelmann had 13 kills and Jordan Stephens 12 for the Lady Crusaders (4-8), who have lost six of their last seven matches.
     
McClain was the only Gold Nugget to hit better .167. XULA hit a season-low .105 but limited William Carey to .099. The teams combined for 93 errors, 53 by Carey. It was the Nuggets' lowest hitting percentage in a victory since Aug. 29, 2011.
     
It was the third consecutive Saturday that XULA went 2-0. In two years under coach Pat Kendrick, the Gold Nuggets are 13-0 in regular-season matches played on Saturdays.
     
"I thought both Life and William Carey challenged us, and we fought back," Kendrick said. "Angele provided a great spark off the bench against William Carey."

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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