Can you dig this? Nuggets improve to 8-0 in GCAC

TOUGALOO, Miss. — Xavier University of Louisiana’s defense, led by freshman libero Anna Dalla Vecchia, sparkled again Monday in a 25-14, 25-13, 25-17 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference volleyball victory against Tougaloo.

Dalla Vecchia had 31 digs — 13 in the final set — to tie a XULA match record and help the Gold Nuggets (16-2, 8-0) win their sixth in a row. They knocked the Lady Bulldogs (16-9, 7-3) out of second place.

XULA got double-doubles from Juliana Tomasoni (10 kills, 13 digs) and Tiffany Phillips (21 assists, 10 digs). Tougaloo hit minus-.008 in 125 attacks and became the third XULA conference opponent in the last four matches to finish with more attack errors than kills. No GCAC opponent has hit better than .092 against XULA this season.

The Gold Nuggets will stay on the road and play GCAC opponent Philander Smith at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Little Rock, Ark.