NEW ORLEANS — In its first-ever home match against a top-10 volleyball opponent, Xavier University of Louisiana lost 25-20, 25-20, 25-22 Saturday to NAIA No. 5 Viterbo in the Early Bird Invitational at the Convocation Center.
     Kayla Black had 14 kills, 11 digs and two blocks for the Gold Nuggets (1-2). Ema Causevic had six kills, and Bria Mayes and Vivica Price-Spraggins had five kills apiece.
     Also for XULA, 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 (3-0), and Katie Frohmader had 13 kills and two blocks. Lauryn Sobasky had 13 digs, and Rachel Frankowski had 12.
     The V-Hawks outhit the Gold Nuggets .198 to .108 and produced advantages of 45-31 in kills, 3-1 in aces and 59-44 in digs. XULA, however, had 10 blocks to Viterbo's four.