NEW ORLEANS — Freshman Sierra Lyons had 13 kills Wednesday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-18, 25-19, 25-27, 25-17 women's volleyball victory over Alcorn State at The Barn.
        The Gold Nuggets (4-3), an NAIA member, climbed above .500 for the third time this season and earned their second victory of the season against an NCAA Division I opponent.
        Lyons leads Xavier with 87 kills this season. The match was her fifth with 10 or more kills.
        Kia Kaufman added a season-high tying five aces for Xavier, which is 4-0 this year when serving 10 or more aces.
        Shaquanda Hollis had 14 kills and 10 digs for Alcorn State (0-6), and Donna Kelly had 20 digs. The Lady Braves have a 35-match losing streak dating to Octover 2008 and have not won on the road since 2006.
        Kaufman served two aces during a 7-0 first-set run which pulled Xavier out of a tie at 12. The Nuggets trailed 13-12 in the second set before taking command with an 8-2 run.
        Alcorn State saved a match point in the third and won a set for the first time this season, but Xavier prevailed in the fourth when Allison Dawson produced a kill and Lyons served an ace to put the Nuggets ahead to stay at 8-6. Kerris Crier's ace, Xavier's 15th and final one of the match, made it 19-10.
        Xavier will play twice Friday in Montgomery, Ala. The Nuggets will face Mississippi Valley at 3 p.m. and Alabama State at 5 p.m. The Nuggets' next match in New Orleans will be Sept. 30 at Gulf Coast Athletic Conference rival Dillard, and their next match at The Barn will be Oct. 6 against Spring Hill.