XULA beats Indiana Tech for 6th win in last 7 matches

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana, despite hitting a season-low .081, grabbed a 25-22, 25-23, 23-25, 25-20 volleyball victory Friday against Indiana Tech in the fourth annual Big Easy Blastoff.
     
It was the first time in eight years that the Gold Nuggets won despite hitting worse than .100.
     
XULA and Point, the only teams to go 2-0 during the tournament's first day, will meet at noon Saturday at the Convocation Center. XULA and Florida Memorial will conclude the Blastoff with a 6 p.m. match.
     
XULA's defense compensated for its offensive deficiencies, limiting the Warriors to a hitting percentage of .069 — the sixth time this season a XULA opponent hit worse than .100 — and forcing them into 38 attack errors.
     
XULA's Kayla Black had 13 kills and 10 digs — her sixth double-double of the season — and tacked on two aces and a block. Vivica Price-Spraggins had 11 kills, six blocks and three aces, Eva Le Guillou had 34 assists, nine digs and four blocks, and Si Si Mitchell had 21 digs.
     
Also providing defense for the Gold Nuggets were Ema Causevic with nine digs and three blocks and Taylor McGee with a career-high eight digs.
     
XULA (7-3) has won six of its last seven matches. Indiana Tech (5-1) lost for the first time this season.
     
Olivia Niekamp had 11 kills, seven digs and two blocks for Indiana Tech. Calista Helinski had 10 kills and three blocks, and Madeline MacDonald had 22 digs.
     
A Price-Spraggins kill clinched a first set in which XULA trailed 7-1 and 17-12. The Gold Nuggets trailed 12-10 in the second set but took the lead for good, 23-22, when Price-Spraggins and Black combined for a block. Maya Smith ended that set with a kill.
     
Indiana Tech rallied from 13-6 and 16-11 deficits to win the third set, but an early 5-1 run put XULA ahead to stay in the fourth. Black had five kills and Price-Spraggins three blocks in the final set, and Price-Spraggins ended the match with a kill.
     
Indiana Tech produced advantages of 49-39 in kills and 74-63 in digs, but the Gold Nuggets had 12 fewer attack errors.
     
XULA's seven victories are its most ever in August. The 2013 team held the previous mark of five.
     
Also Saturday, Indiana Tech will play Mobile at 10 a.m. and Point at 4 p.m. Mobile will play Florida Memorial at 2 p.m.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications
Department of Athletics & Recreation
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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