LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Kerris Crier, Taylor Reuther and Chinedu Echebelem had eight kills apiece Saturday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-17, 25-15, 25-5 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball victory against Philander Smith.
        The Gold Nuggets (10-4 overall, 4-0 GCAC) have won five consecutive matches overall and extended a school record with their 10th consecutive road victory. They're 6-1 on opponents' courts this season.
        Crier hit her first attack in the net, then was perfect on her final eight swings to hit a career-best .778. Reuther had seven digs and five aces, and Echebelem had three digs and an ace. Patrice Smith had a season-high five kills for Xavier, and Darian Harris led the Nuggets with 10 digs. Alexandria Rencher had 32 assists, six digs and an ace.
        Philander Smith (1-14, 0-4) never led in any set and lost 34 of the final 41 points.
        Echebelem and Crier had three kills apiece during Xavier's 8-2 run to close the first set. The Nuggets outscored the Lady Panthers 9-1 to close the second set and had 9-1 and 12-1 runs in the third set.
        Xavier has an 18-match win streak against GCAC opponents, 14 in the regular season.
        The Gold Nuggets, who played 12 of their first 14 matches on the road, will close the regular season with 10-of-11 in New Orleans. Seven of those matches will be at home, with the next one at 6 p.m. Friday against GCAC opponent Edward Waters at The Barn.
        NOTES:  Harris sat out the third set. Her replacement at libero, Alexis Clay, had four digs in the final set . . . The Gold Nuggets are hitting .329 during their win streak and .250 during their road win streak. They hit .344 against Philander Smith, .423 in the final set . . . Moira Kirk has recorded at least one block in the past 34 XU matches and 42 of 44 in her career . . . Philander Smith's five third-set points were the second fewest Xavier has allowed in a set. The record low came in a 25-4 first set at Tougaloo on Oct. 22, 2010 . . . Reuther needs 30 more kills and 30 more digs to reach 500 of each in her XU career.