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        NEW ORLEANS — City rival Loyola rallied from a 20-14 first-set deficit and never trailed again in a 27-25, 25-18, 25-20 volleyball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana at The Den.
        It was the season opener for both teams. XULA will return to the court next Saturday for two home matches: noon against Mobile and 2 p.m. against another city rival, Dillard.
        XULA leaders included Taylor McGee with seven kills, Vivica Price-Spraggins with a .333 hitting percentage in 12 attacks, Eva Le Guillou with 16 assists, Jaela Drumgole with two aces, Jennifer Torres and Drumgole with 10 digs apiece and Maya Smith with four blocks.
        Jordan Bernard had 13 kills and hit .357 in 28 attacks for the Wolf Pack.
        XULA scored seven of the first eight points and led 20-14 in the opening set after Le Guillou's kill. But from that point Loyola saved three set points and won the set on an ace by Bernard, who also had three kills during the Wolf Pack's 13-5 rally.
        "We weren't as steady as we needed to be at the finish," fourth-year XULA head coach Pat Kendrick said. "We've got to work on being consistent. We were up. We've just got to make sure we stay steady throughout the set."
        Loyola scored eight-of-nine points to take a 12-4 lead in the second set and had 6-1 and 9-4 runs in the third. Bernard ended the match with back-to-back kills.
        XULA hit .075, its second lowest during 100 matches of Kendrick's tenure. Loyola committed 29 attack errors to XULA's 14, but the Wolf Pack compensated with a 44-22 advantage in kills.
        "We'll come back better and stronger the next time," said Bria Mayes, No. 2 for XULA in kills with six. "We'll get back in the gym and start working. The defense might have been going good, but then we messed up on hitting. And when the hitting would be on point, we'd mess up on defense. We've got to work out those kinks and get this team together."
        XULA, in its 13th season, is 0-4 all-time in openers on opponents' floors.
        "We got a chance to play somebody other than ourselves," Kendrick said. "That was the positive from this match. We can see where we are and what we need to work on."