FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Hanah Weiss produced four of her career-high 20 kills in the final set Saturday to help Columbia International rally for a 25-22, 23-25, 20-25, 25-12, 15-7 women's volleyball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in the Onset Invitational.
        The Gold Nuggets finished 1-3 in this season-opening tournament and dropped three in a row after defeating host Saint Francis. Next for XULA is the seventh Big Easy Blastoff at its Convocation Center. The Gold Nuggets' schedule:
        •  7:30 p.m. Thursday against NAIA No. 7 Columbia (Mo.)
        •  7:30 p.m. Friday against Marian (Ind.)
        •  2:30 p.m. Saturday against MidAmerica Nazarene
        •  7:30 p.m. Saturday against Campbellsville
        The Rams (7-1) — like XULA among "others receiving votes" in the NAIA preseason coaches poll — scored eight of the first nine points in the fifth set. Weiss had consecutive kills to make it 10-3, and she ended the match with a kill.
        Weiss and Katie Camp combined for 37 of CIU's 59 kills and a .326 hitting percentage. Weiss hit .357. Camp had 17 kills and hit .295.
        Sydney Murray had 18 kills, Kamea Uitenham 16, Stella Dineva 11 and Taylor Parker and Laila Person six apiece for XULA. Charity Metcalf had 23 assists and 18 digs, Ruxandra Flueras and Person served two aces apiece, and Parker had four blocks to finish the tournament with 21. Flueras and Murray had 12 digs apiece, and Felise Jones had 21 assists.
        CIU's Kelcey Mangum had 30 digs and four aces, and Kamelia De Jesus had 43 assists, 22 digs and four blocks. Lydia Gustafson had eight blocks.
        XULA also had 59 kills, but the Rams outhit the Gold Nuggets .210 to .141 — .262 to minus-.031 in the final two sets.
        NOTES:  XULA is 22-22 all-time in 12 season-opening tournaments. This is the program's 17th year . . . Weiss is a senior outside hitter and the daughter of second-year CIU head coach Katie Weiss . . . Students, staff and faculty with a valid ID are admitted free to XULA home matches.