NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana needed 60 minutes Friday to defeat Edward Waters 25-7, 25-15, 25-19 in the first semifinal of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Volleyball Championship tournament at the Convocation Center.
     The Gold Nuggets — 29-6, seeded first and eight-time defending champion — will play second-seeded Dillard (15-15) for the championship at 2 p.m. Saturday, also at XULA. The Nuggets reached the final for the ninth consecutive year.
     Vivica Price-Spraggins hit .563 with 10 kills, two aces and two blocks for XULA. Kayla Black had nine kills and two blocks, Bria Mayes had eight kills, and Maya Smith hit .462 with six kills and two blocks. Tiffany Phillips had 21 assists, and Eva Le Guillou had 14 assists and two aces. Jennifer Torres served two aces and had a match-high 17 digs.
     Caytlin Willis and Nerealice Quirindongo Torres had five kills apiece for Edward Waters (15-11), the No. 4 seed. Anyssa Guzman had 10 digs.
     "Our team did a really good job staying together," Black said. "There were some moments where we were flustered. But even in those moments, we came together as a team and regrouped. Overall we've done a great job in these first two tournament matches as a team, not as individuals."
     XULA outhit the Lady Tigers .303 to .010 and also produced advantages of 40-19 in kills, 38-18 in assists, 8-3 in aces, 53-40 in digs and 4-2 in blocks. XULA beat Edward Waters in the semifinals for the second consecutive year and leads the series 21-0.
     Admission will be free for the championship match. XULA and Dillard will meet in the final for the second time. The Gold Nuggets won 25-20, 25-16, 25-13 in 2017.
     The tournament champion will earn an automatic berth to the NAIA National Championship, which will begin next weekend and conclude Dec. 7.
     Desire Neal hit .409 with 12 kills and two blocks to lead Dillard to a 25-19, 25-15, 25-16 victory against third-seeded Talladega in the second semifinal.