Statistics

        COLUMBIA, Mo. — Xavier University of Louisiana women's volleyball gained a split on opening day of the 2023 season with a 27-25, 25-22, 17-25, 25-18 victory Friday against John Brown in the CC Hampton Inn Classic.
        It was a matchup of teams receiving votes in the NAIA preseason coaches poll — John Brown are 34th, and the Gold Nuggets are 36th.
        Sydney Murray hit .333 with 14 kills, one ace, one block and five digs for XULA. Kennedy Wade had 12 kills, three aces and seven digs, and Taylor Parker hit .583 with eight kills, one ace and two blocks.
        Bengisu Kazazlar produced a double-double for XULA — 40 assists and 10 digs — and hit .571 with five kills, three aces and a block. Kennedi Bell and Stella Dineva had six kills and two blocks apiece, and Dineva served two aces.
        Savanna Riney had 13 kills and Cora Roweton 10 for John Brown (3-2). Erin Mullins had five blocks, and Julie Milligan served four aces.
        Murray and Kazazlar closed the first set with kills to rally the Gold Nuggets from a 23-21 deficit. XULA took a two-set lead after breaking a tie at 19, and the Nuggets led wire-to-wire in the clinching set.
        XULA outhit John Brown .273 to .248 and had advantages of 51-48 in kills, 11-9 in aces and 45-35 in digs.
        NAIA No. 14 Columbia (Mo.) defeated XULA 25-15, 25-18, 25-21 earlier.
        The Gold Nuggets will play Saturday at 11 a.m. against William Penn and 3 p.m. against NAIA No. 19 Central Methodist.