Box Score         NEW ORLEANS — Kerris Crier tied her career high of nine kills Monday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-21, 25-14, 25-16 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball victory against Philander Smith.
        The Gold Nuggets (21-7) extended their school-record winning streak to 15 and reduced to one their magic number for winning a third consecutive regular-season championship. They can clinch the title with a victory against city rival Dillard in a 6 p.m. Wednesday match at the Convocation Center.
        Crier, Jodi Hill and Claudia Haywood had three blocks apiece. Moira Kirk had seven kills and hit .417 in 12 attempts. Franziska Pirkl had 12 digs.
        Zyra Wright had 13 kills, two aces, a block and eight digs for the Lady Panthers (9-22, 6-5), who have lost four in a row and six of their last seven.
        Xavier rallied from a 13-9 deficit in the first set and clinched on Haywood's kill. Crier had two kills and two blocks, and Pirkl served two aces during a 10-0 run to start the second set.
        Destiny Jackson's ace put the Gold Nuggets ahead to stay at 11-10 in the final set, and she set up Emily Reuther for her first collegiate kill to end the match.
        Xavier outhit Philander Smith .209 to .000 and had a 35-24 advantage in kills. The Lady Panthers hit minus-.320 in the second set.
        The Gold Nuggets have won a school-record 12 consecutive home matches, eight this season. They have won 32 consecutive GCAC regular-season matches and 38 in a row overall against conference opponents.