XULA Volleyball began its 2026 campaign Friday in Nebraska with a pair of tough matches in the Bellevue Bruin Classic, a tournament that attracts many of the top teams in the NAIA.
Despite falling in both matches, the Gold Nuggets acquitted themselves well, showing fight, resolve, and no shortage of positives.
Benedictine 3, XULA 1
In the first match of the 2026 season, Xavier stayed close to Benedictine (Kansas) and overcame a 2-0 deficit to force a fourth set before ultimately falling 3-1.
Xavier fell 25-21 in a razor-thin first set, then fell 25-18 in the second, but took a 25-21 win in the third.
Individually, several XULA players had strong outings.
Kamea Uitenham led the team with 10 kills, followed by
Charlie Henderson with 9, and
Kennedy Campbell with 8. Uitenham also added 2 service aces and a block assist.
Henderson, a true freshman from Frisco, Texas, added 14 digs and 2 block assists.
Sara Marzinot, a sophomore transfer from Neosho County Community College, was tops on the team with 20 assists, with
Kamrynn Williams accounting for 14.
Defensively,
Michaela Clayton accounted for a team-high 16 digs, and
Zoie Mayberry led with 6 block assists.
No. 8 Bellevue 3, XULA 0
In the late session, the Gold Nuggets were faced with one of the biggest challenges of their season, a showdown with the top-10 Bruins.
Xavier put up quite the fight in the first set, but fell 25-20. Bellevue won the second and third sets 25-17 and 25-16, respectively.
Uitenham again led the attack with 10 kills, while Williams contributed 14 assists.
Several players racked up solid numbers of digs. Clayton had a team-high 8, while Uitenham and Henderson added 7 apiece.
Looking Ahead
The Gold Nuggets continue tournament play with a pair of Saturday contests. XULA plays Dordt at 1 p.m., followed by a 5 p.m. match against Grand View.
Xavier will then return to New Orleans for the annual Big Easy Blastoff, Sept. 4 and 5, at the Convocation Center.
Gallery: (8-30-2026) Volleyball at 2026 Bruin Classic
