BELLEVUE, Neb. - Xavier Volleyball wrapped its 2026 Bruin Classic Saturday with a pair of competitive matches.
Although the Gold Rush fell in both contests, the team unquestionably showed that it was finding its groove in advance of opening home play next week.
Dordt 3, XULA 1
The Gold Nuggets were close, but couldn't quite pull out the win over a Dordt team that is off to a red-hot start in 2026.
Xavier won the first set 25-17, then fell 25-19, 26-24, and 25-19 to a 6-1 Defenders team.
Freshman outside hitter Charlier Henderson was the star of the match, contributing in all phases of the game. All told, the Frisco, Texas, product produced 13 kills, 5 service aces, and 8 digs, and she was responsible for a team-high 18 points.
Kamea Uitenham and
Kennedy Campbell, both junior outside hitters, were solid. Uitenham produced 11.5 points with 8 kills, 3 service aces, 11 digs, and a block assist, while Campbell accounted for 10.5 points with 9 kills, 6 digs, and 3 block assists.
Redshirt sophomore
Michaela Clayton had a team-high 19 digs, while
Kamrynn Williams and
Sara Marzinot had 17 and 11 assists, respectively.
Grand View 3, XULA 2
In the evening session, XULA battled back twice to force a decisive fifth set against Grand View, a 2025 participant in the NAIA national tournament.
The Vikings won the first set 25-19 and the third set 25-23, but Xavier responded with wins of 25-18 in the second set and 25-21 in the fourth before falling 15-11 in the decisive set.
Uitenham had a huge match, producing 18 total points with 16 kills, 13 digs, 1 service ace, and 2 block assists.
Zoie Mayberry, a junior middle blocker, produced 10 points on 8 kills and 4 block assists.
Williams produced a team-high 26 assists, while Marzinot added 22 assists to go along with 7 digs. Clayton led the Gold Nuggets in digs with 18.
Looking Ahead
Xavier fans can get their first look at the 2026 Gold Nuggets next week when the team hosts the Big Easy Blastoff in the Convocation Center.
Matches begin at 9 a.m. on Sept. 4, but XULA's first home contest will be at 2 p.m. against Louisiana Christian, followed by a 7 p.m. showdown with No. 24 Mobile.
Gallery: (8-30-2026) Volleyball at 2026 Bruin Classic
The theme for the Sept. 4 matches is "Syllabus Shake-Off," so come out and celebrate the start of the 26-27 school year.
