NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana will play host to William Carey at noon Saturday in the 2019 NAIA Volleyball National Championship Opening Round.
     The NAIA announced the 44-team field Monday morning — 36 automatic qualifiers, one host berth and seven at-large selections.
     Both XULA (30-6) and William Carey (20-19) earned automatic bids — XULA as champion of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament; William Carey as the No. 2 qualifier from the Southern States Athletic Conference.
     XULA is 4-1 all-time against William Carey, including a 25-11, 25-23, 25-12 victory on the Lady Crusaders' floor Oct. 26 at Hattiesburg, Miss.
     There will be 12 opening-round matches Saturday — those winners will advance to the NAIA Women's Volleyball National Championship presented by Delta Hotels in Sioux City, Iowa, Dec. 3-7. XULA is 0-8 in the opening round, including home losses to St. Francis (Ill.) in 2016 and Marian (Ind.) in 2017. XULA will be a host in the opening round for the third time in four years and the third time overall.
     This will be the first time that the Gold Nuggets enter nationals with a previous victory against their opponent. XULA was 0-10 all-time against Spring Hill when they met in 2011 and 0-14 when they rematched in 2013. XULA was 0-1 against Lindsey Wilson prior to their 2014 meeting. XULA's other five opening-round matches — Georgetown (Ky.) in 2012, College of Idaho in 2015, St. Francis (Ill.) in 2016, Marian (Ind.) in 2017 and Corban in 2018 — involved first-time opponents.
     The Gold Nuggets this season set school season records for victories and with 285 aces. Their statistical leaders include Kayla Black with a school-record 423 kills, Eva Le Guillou with 990 assists, Ema Causevic with 52 aces, Jennifer Torres with 421 digs and Vivica Price-Spraggins with 103 blocks and a .333 hitting percentage. All five of those players are juniors.