JACKSON, Miss. — Taylor Reuther served nine aces — all in the third set and eight of them consecutively — to highlight Xavier University of Louisiana's 25-16, 25-13, 25-10 women's volleyball victory against Rust in the Belhaven Tournament on Saturday.
        The victory was the fourth in a row for the Gold Nuggets (4-2) and their third in the tournament. Xavier will play Belhaven for the championship at 4 p.m. Saturday.
        The final set was tied at 1 when Reuther began her serving streak. She added another ace during the second rotation to give Xavier a 21-8 lead.
        The nine aces are the most in a match by a Gold Nugget since Xavier resumed intercollegiate competition in 2010. Erin Vincent's eight aces against Judson (Ala.) on Oct. 15, 2010, were the previous best. Five aces were Reuther's previous high.
        Xavier finished with a season-best 17 aces, its second-best total during Christabell Hamilton's two seasons as coach. Chinedu Echebelem, Darian Harris and CeCe Williams served two aces apiece. Echebelem led Xavier with 14 kills — her fourth time this season in double figures — and hit a career-best .522 in 23 attacks.
        Xavier hit .324 with 35 kills. The Gold Nuggets had 29 digs, including a season-high eight by Jodi Chatters and seven by Echebelem.
        Rust (2-4), an NCAA Division III member, is 0-3 in the tournament. The Lady Bearcats led 3-1 and 5-4 in the opening set before Xavier took the lead for good with a 9-3 run. The Nuggets outscored Rust 14-3 to end the second set. Echelebem and Claudia Haywood ended the match with a block.