COLUMBIA, Mo. — Central Methodist, ranked 19th in NAIA women's volleyball, rallied Saturday to defeat Xavier University of Louisiana 22-25, 22-25, 25-14, 25-18, 16-14 in the CC Hampton Inn Classic.
The Gold Nuggets, in their first competition of the season, finished 2-2 in this eight-team tournament. Earlier Saturday XULA defeated William Penn 19-25, 26-24, 25-22, 25-18.
XULA led 7-4 in the fifth set after trailing 3-1, and its last lead was 12-11 after a
Maddie Meyer ace. The Eagles (2-2 tournament, 2-2 season) scored the final two points on a service error, then Annabelle Maassen's ace.
XULA's
Kennedy Wade, a third-team NAIA All-American a year ago, hit .373 with 24 kills, an ace, a block and eight digs.
Sydney Murray had 10 kills, an ace, four blocks and six digs.
Stella Dineva and
Kennedi Bell had six kills and two blocks apiece, and Dineva served three aces.
Meyer had 12 digs.
Bengisu Kazazlar had five kills, three aces and match highs of 45 assists and 19 digs.
Taylor Parker produced a match-high-tying seven blocks. Kazazlar and Parker are freshmen.
Delaney Miller hit .533 with 19 kills for Central Methodist, and Callie Henson had 17 kills and seven blocks.
XULA will return to the road for three matches at Campbellsville, Ky. — Friday at 3 p.m. against NAIA No. 21 Marian (Ind.) and 7 p.m. against Life, then 3 p.m. Saturday against Campbellsville, among "others receiving votes" in the NAIA preseason coaches poll. Times are Eastern.
NOTES: The Gold Nuggets' statistical leaders for four matches were Wade with 57 kills, Parker with a .413 hitting percentage and 21 blocks, Kazazlar with 152 assists and nine aces, and Meyer with 48 digs . . . Bell, a XULA newcomer after two seasons at NCAA Division II Lewis — she played no matches either year and was injured in 2021 — hit .319 with 22 kills and seven blocks . . . The Gold Nuggets are 1-28 all-time against top-25 NAIA opponents . . . Tournament standings: Indiana Wesleyan 4-0, Columbia 3-1, Ottawa (Kan.) 3-1, XULA 2-2, Central Methodist 2-2, John Brown 1-3, William Penn 1-3, Dakota Wesleyan 0-4 . . . The Gold Nuggets won in four sets Friday against John Brown.
