Maya Smith video interview

     NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana volleyball finished 2-2 Saturday in its season-opening Early Bird Invitational after losing 25-20, 25-20, 25-22 to NAIA No. 5 Viterbo and defeating city rival Loyola 25-18, 25-19, 25-12.
     Against Loyola, Maya Smith — in her first collegiate start — set a XULA record for blocks in a match by a freshman with eight. The previous mark was seven, reached six time by four freshmen. The overall school record is 10.
     Kayla Black against Loyola had 12 kills and 10 digs. She produced a double-double in every tournament match. Bria Mayes had eight kills and four blocks, Si Si Mitchell had 13 digs in her first match as the libero, Ema Causevic served two aces, and Vivica-Price Spraggins hit .583 with eight kills and two blocks. Running the offense was setter Eva Le Guillou, who had 31 assists, seven digs and a block.
     Jordan Bernard had eight kills for Loyola (1-3), and Brittany Cooper and Helene Massone served two aces apiece. Massone had 13 digs.
     XULA rallied from deficits of 14-10 in the first set, 16-15 in the second and 9-7 in the third.
     "We had some bright spots," XULA coach Pat Kendrick said, "and we have a number of things to work on. It was good to end the weekend on a winning note."
     Against Viterbo, Black had 14 kills, 11 digs and two blocks. Causevic had six kills, and Mayes and Price-Spraggins had five kills apiece. Jennifer Torres had 11 digs and her team's only ace. Mayes had six blocks and Price-Spraggins five.
     Miah Garant had 15 kills and two blocks for Viterbo, which won all four of its tournament matches, and Katie Frohmader had 13 kills and two blocks. Lauryn Sobasky had 13 digs, and Rachel Frankowski had 12.
     Viterbo is the first top-10 team to visit XULA.
     XULA will compete in the STU Invitational at Miami Gardens, Fla., Thursday through Saturday, then return home for its Big Easy Blastoff, a five-team tournament Aug. 30-31.

Early Bird Invitational Final Standings
4-0 Viterbo
2-2 Xavier (N.O.)
2-2 Cumberland
1-3 Coastal Georgia
1-3 Loyola (N.O.)

Saturday's Scores
Cumberland 3, Coastal Georgia 0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-22)
Viterbo 3, Xavier (N.O.) 0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-22)
Loyola (N.O.) 3, Cumberland 2 (15-25, 12-25, 26-24, 25-23, 15-10)
Viterbo 3, Coastal Georgia 1 (25-13, 21-25, 25-14, 25-15)
Xavier (N.O.) 3, Loyola (N.O.) 0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-12)

All-Tournament
Kayla Black, XULA
Nicole Carey, Cumberland
Lillian Carlson, Coastal Georgia
Brittany Cooper, Loyola (N.O.)
Rachel Frankowski, Viterbo
Katie Frohmader, Viterbo
Miah Garant, Viterbo
Vivica Price-Spraggins, XULA
Lyssette Serna, Cumberland

Most Valuable Player
Miah Garant, Viterbo

Tournament Leaders
Team — Match
Kills — 65, XULA vs. Cumberland, Aug. 16
Hitting Percentage — .330, XULA vs. Coastal Georgia, Aug. 16
Assists — 62, XULA vs. Cumberland, Aug. 16
Aces — 13, Viterbo vs.Cumberland, Aug. 16
Digs — 85, XULA vs. Cumberland, Aug. 16
Blocks — 13, Cumberland vs. XULA, Aug. 16
Longest Match — 2 hours, 2 minutes, XULA vs. Cumberland, Aug. 16
Shortest Match — 1 hour, 4 minutes, XULA vs. Coastal Georgia, Aug. 16

Team — Tournament
Kills Per Set — 13.79, Viterbo (193 kills in 14 sets)
Hitting Percentage — .217, Viterbo
Assists Per Set — 12.50, Viterbo (175 assists in 14 sets)
Aces Per Set — 2.36, Viterbo (33 aces in 14 sets)
Digs Per Set — 16.71, Viterbo (234 digs in 14 sets)
Blocks Per Set — 2.43, XULA (34 blocks in 14 sets)

Individual — Match
Kills — 24, Miah Garant, Viterbo, vs. Cumberland, Aug. 16
Hitting Percentage (minimum 10 attacks) — .727, Bria Mayes, XULA, vs. Coastal Georgia, Aug. 16 (8 kills, 0 errors, 11 attacks)
Assists — 53, Eva Le Guillou, XULA, vs. Cumberland, Aug. 16
Aces — 5, Lyssette Serna, Cumberland, vs. Loyola (N.O.), Aug. 17; Jade Putz, Viterbo, vs. Loyola (N.O.), Aug. 16; Vivica Price-Spraggins, XULA, vs. Cumberland, Aug. 6
Digs — 24, Ali Hanger, Cumberland, vs. Loyola (N.O.), Aug. 17
Blocks — 8, Maya Smith, XULA, vs. Loyola (N.O.), Aug. 17; Nicole Carey, Cumberland, vs. XULA, Aug. 16

Individual — Tournament
Kills — 62, Miah Garant, Viterbo
Kills Per Set — 4.43, Miah Garant, Viterbo (62 kills in 14 sets)
Hitting Percentage (minimum 40 attacks) — .352, Vivica Price-Spraggins, XULA (30 kills, 5 errors, 71 attacks)
Assists — 146, Eva Le Guillou, XULA
Assists Per Set — 10.43, Eva Le Guillou, XULA (146 assists in 14 sets)
Aces — 12, Jade Putz, Viterbo
Aces Per Set — 0.86, Jade Putz, Viterbo (12 aces in 14 sets)
Digs — 66, Ali Hanger, Cumberland
Digs Per Set — 4.85, Yorelis Rios Gonzalez, Coastal Georgia (63 digs in 13 sets)
Blocks — 22, Nicole Carey, Cumberland
Blocks Per Set — 1.29, Nicole Carey, Cumberland (22 blocks in 17 sets)
Reception Percentage — .978, Jenna Phillips, Viterbo (46 receptions, 1 error)