JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Xavier University of Louisiana volleyball still has never dropped a set against Edward Waters, but the Gold Nuggets needed runs in the first and second sets to emerge with a 25-18, 26-24, 25-13 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference victory Saturday.
     The Gold Nuggets (14-4, 5-0, season-high eight-match win streak) rallied from a 12-8 first-set deficit and a 21-20 second-set deficit. There was much less drama in the final set, with the Nuggets pulling away after a tie at 4 and scoring 12 of the final 15 points.
     "The third set was much better than the first two," said Pat Kendrick, who earned her 504th career victory and her 37th in 44 matches as XULA's head coach. "We showed good energy at the end of the match."
     Much of the energy came from Vivica Price-Spraggins, who produced four kills in XULA's final five points.
     In the first set a Nerealice Quirindongo-Torres kill gave the Lady Tigers (6-7, 4-3) a 12-8 advantage. But XULA rallied and took the lead for good at 14-13 on a Beatrice Formilan ace, one of two during the Nuggets' 11-2 run. Jordan Johnson and Kayla Black each had a pair of kills to clinch that set.
     In the second set Edward Waters led 21-20 after a Katarina Ribar ace, but the Lady Tigers never reached set point. After ties at 21, 22, 23 and 24, Black finished the set with a kill and an ace.
     XULA leads the series 16-0 and has won all 48 sets. The teams will meet again Oct. 29 at XULA's Convocation Center.
     XULA remained a half-match behind Tougaloo in the GCAC standings. The Lady Bulldogs (11-9, 6-0) won 26-24, 25-12, 25-23 at Talladega. XULA will visit Talladega at 6 p.m. Monday.