Badgers rally in final 2 sets to snap Nuggets' win streak

Box Score NEW ORLEANS — Megan Haber had a season-high 23 kills, two in a 5-0 closing run, to lead Spring Hill to a 17-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-19, 15-11 women's volleyball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana on Friday.
     The Badgers (18-5) snapped the 10-match win streak of the Gold Nuggets (10-3), who had not lost since Aug. 26.
     Chinedu Echebelem had 19 kills and 20 digs for Xavier. CeCe Williams had 22 digs and a career-high-tying 14 kills. Jodi Hill had 10 kills and five blocks, and Claudia Haywood had 10 kills and three blocks. Franziska Pirkl served a pair of aces and had season highs of 53 assists and 13 digs.
     Spring Hill trailed 5-1 in the final set before taking its first lead, 12-11, on Haber's kill. Haber and Sami Hantak scored the next point on a block of Echebelem's attack. After an XU timeout, the Badgers ended the match on kills by Hantak and Haber.
     The Badgers rallied from a 14-8 fourth-set deficit to extend the match.
     Spring Hill is 16-0 all-time against Xavier. It was the second consecutive time that the Badgers rallied from a 2-sets-to-1 deficit.
     Hill, Echebelem and Jada Broussard had three kills apiece to lead the Gold Nuggets to their first-ever first-set victory against the Badgers.
     Sami Maurer had 19 digs for Spring Hill, and Hantak had six blocks.
     Xavier outhit the Badgers .213 to .163 and had advantages of 65-60 in kills and 81-71 in digs.
     Both teams will play Concordia (Mich.) at XU's Convocation Center on Saturday — Spring Hill will lead off at 11 a.m., with Xavier playing the Cardinals at 1 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#7 Jodi Hill: MB; 5' 9"; Junior; Jr.

#8 Franziska Pirkl: S; 5' 9"; Junior; Jr.

#9 CeCe Williams: OH; 5' 6"; Junior; Jr.

#10 Claudia Haywood: MB; 5' 11"; Junior; Jr.

#12 Chinedu Echebelem: OH; 5' 6"; Senior; Sr.

#11 Jada Broussard: MB/RS; 5' 10"; Freshman; Fr.

Players Mentioned

#7 Jodi Hill
: 5' 9"; Junior; Jr.
: MB

#8 Franziska Pirkl
: 5' 9"; Junior; Jr.
: S

#9 CeCe Williams
: 5' 6"; Junior; Jr.
: OH

#10 Claudia Haywood
: 5' 11"; Junior; Jr.
: MB

#12 Chinedu Echebelem
: 5' 6"; Senior; Sr.
: OH

#11 Jada Broussard
: 5' 10"; Freshman; Fr.
: MB/RS