DeSOTO, Texas — Xavier University
of Louisiana defeated Our Lady of the Lake 25-27, 25-17, 25-23, 25-15 in an hour and 45 minutes Saturday
to give the Saints their first Red River Athletic Conference volleyball loss of the season.
XULA (8-6 overall, 7-1 RRAC) extended its season-best
win streak to four and won for the eighth time in its last 10 matches. The Gold Nuggets
ended the 17-match conference win streak of the Saints (15-5, 9-1). This is XULA's first RRAC season.
For the second time this season and the seventh time
in
Pat Kendrick's five seasons as head coach, XULA won after dropping the first set.
XULA won the third set after leading 14-8
and trailing 23-22, then went ahead to stay in the final set when
Angela Egonu's kill made it 6-5.
The Gold Nuggets closed the match with a 12-4 run.
XULA's fourth-set statistical leaders
included
Vivica Price-Spraggins with four kills and two blocks,
Kennedy Wade with four kills
and an ace,
Kendall Mack with four blocks and a kill and
Stella Dineva with two blocks and a kill.
"We played clean," Kendrick said. "Great team effort."
OLLU lost for the first time in the RRAC
since a four-set decision at Wiley on Oct. 25, 2019. This was XULA's first victory against OLLU in four tries;
the Saints beat the Gold Nuggets on back-to-back days last season at XULA's Big Easy Blastoff.
XULA will return to Texas to play
RRAC matches at Texas College at 6 p.m. Friday and Jarvis Christian at 11 a.m. Saturday.
The home and regular-season finale will start at 6 p.m. Nov. 5 against RRAC opponent
Louisiana College at the Convocation Center.
RRAC matches at DeSoto, Texas
Saturday, Oct. 23
Huston-Tillotson 3, Texas College 0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-8)
Southwest (N.M.) 3, Louisiana College 2 (22-25, 22-25, 25-22, 25-15, 15-13)
XULA 3, Our Lady of the Lake 1 (25-27, 25-17, 25-13, 25-15)
Paul Quinn 3, Texas College 0 (25-8, 25-8, 25-15)
Jarvis Christian 3, Wiley 1 (29-27, 20-25, 25-20, 25-22)
Friday, Oct. 22
Our Lady of the Lake 3, Jarvis Christian 0 (25-14, 25-9, 25-9)
XULA 3, Southwest (N.M.) 0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-14)
Wiley 3, Texas College 0 (25-10, 25-11, 25-9)
Huston-Tillotson 3, Louisiana College 0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-21)
Paul Quinn 3, Jarvis Christian 1 (21-25, 32-30, 26-24, 25-17)
