CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — Freshmen Amani Mason, Taylor Parker and Bengisu Kazazlar were stellar Friday in helping Xavier University of Louisiana rally for a 25-17, 19-25, 20-25, 25-18, 15-12 women's volleyball victory against Life in the Campbellsville Labor Day Tournament.
        Mason — who missed the Gold Nuggets' first four matches because of illness — produced her second double-double of the day: 17 kills, a match high, and 17 digs. Parker had a school-record 14 blocks, and Kazazlar also had a double-double, 27 assists and 23 digs.
        XULA (3-3 overall) earned a split of its two Friday matches — Marian (Ind.) beat the Gold Nuggets 25-13, 25-19, 21-25, 25-23 earlier — and will conclude this event with a 3 p.m. EDT Saturday match against Campbellsville, winless entering the tournament but a four-set winner Friday against Life and Marian.
        "Missing practice and the tournament last week gave me the drive to work harder to make sure I was ready for today," said Mason, a 5-foot-7 outside hitter from Little Elm, Texas.
        Parker, a 6-2 middle blocker from Charlotte, N.C., and the reigning Red River Athletic Conference Defender of the Week, broke the XULA record of 12 blocks that teammate Kendall Mack set in 2021 at Louisiana Christian. Kazazlar, a 5-9 setter from Izmir, Turkey, and the reigning RRAC Setter of the Week, produced her second double-double of the day and her fourth of the season. Kazazlar served a match-high four aces.
        XULA got a third double-double from sophomore setter Charity Metcalf, who had 11 assists and 11 digs. Also prominent in the statistics were Sydney Murray with 13 kills, Parker with eight kills and Ruxandra Flueras with 21 digs. Stella Dineva had four blocks, and Murray, Kazazlar and Kennedi Bell had three apiece.
        Fleuras, Mason, Murray and Dineva served two aces apiece, and XULA won that category 13-3.
        Fayola Louis and Lena Pucnik had 14 kills apiece for Life (4-5).
        XULA never trailed in the fourth set and scored the final six points to clinch in the fifth. The Running Eagles led 12-9, then returned to the floor after a XULA timeout and committed five attack errors. Parker and Murray teamed for a block to give the Gold Nuggets match point, then Parker and Metcalf teamed for a match-ending block.
        XULA won despite hitting .110 — the Gold Nuggets hit .213 opening week — but compensated by limiting Life to .086 hitting.
        Mason received 35 serves with no errors and finished perfect in 60 receptions in her first day of regular-season collegiate competiton.
        "I worked to get extra passing reps in practice," Mason said, "and I made sure I stayed low and kept my hips and shoulders behind the ball."