NOTE:  After the 2021 season, the NAIA awarded XULA a forfeit victory in this match because Wayland Baptist used an ineligible player.

        NEW ORLEANS — Amber Daniel scored Wayland Baptist's final three points with kills Friday to rally the Pioneers to a 25-19, 16-25, 25-21, 24-26, 15-13 volleyball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in the Wolf Pack Welcome Tournament at Loyola's The Den.
        It was XULA's season opener. XULA's Saturday matches in this tournament against Wayland and Loyola were canceled because of the approach of Hurricane Ida, which is predicted to make landfall late Sunday or early Monday with category 4 wind strength.
        A Tatijana Markic attack error gave the Gold Nuggets a 10-8 lead in the fifth. A Daniel kill put Wayland Baptist ahead to stay at 13-12.
        Vivica Price-Spraggins, Kennedy Wade and newcomer Giulia Follador had 12 kills apiece for XULA, and Taylor McGee and Bria Mayes had nine apiece. Wade, Follador and Linda Mungai served two aces apiece. Kendall Mack produced a career-high seven blocks.
        Additional XULA statistical leaders were Semira Blair and Emi Riglioni with 26 assists apiece — it was a XULA match high for Blair — Mungai with a career-high 20 digs and Mayes and Wade with three blocks apiece. Wade had 13 digs, and Follador had 12.
        Mayes hit .529 with no errors in 17 attacks, and Price-Spraggins — XULA's career leader in hitting percentage — hit .409 in 22 attacks.
        The kill-dig double-double was the seventh for Wade, a sophomore.
        XULA led Wayland Baptist in all the important positive categories, but the Nuggets produced 16 service errors, their most since 22 in the 2016 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament final against Talladega.
        Daniel and Markic had 14 kills apiece, and Jayla Schultz had eight kills and both of the Pioneers' aces. Ariel Marquez had 17 digs, and Lucie Mahelova had 13. Mahelova had 46 assists.
        XULA produced no kills and one error in its first 11 attacks but hit .253 thereafter. XULA outhit Wayland Baptist .229 to .189 for the match, .229 to .139 in the final four sets.