XULA rallies from two sets down to win at William Carey

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Maya Smith and Kendall Mack had three kills apiece in the final set Saturday, and Jennifer Torres set a Xavier University of Louisiana match record with 37 digs in a 16-25, 22-25, 25-18, 25-23, 15-12 volleyball victory against William Carey.

XULA (3-2) gave William Carey (4-1) its first loss of the season and avenged a five-set home loss to the Lady Crusaders from seven days earlier.

It was the fifth time in the program’s 13-year history — and the first time since 2013 — that XULA won a match after dropping the first two sets.

XULA trailed 20-15 in the fourth set, but freshman Kennedy Wade had three kills and an ace in a 10-3 comeback that extended the match. A kill by Mack, another freshman, put XULA ahead to stay in the fifth set at 8-7, Taylor McGee and Vivica Price-Spraggins combined for a block that made it 14-9, and the 2-hour, 6-minute match ended on a Jordan Stephens attack error.

Torres broke the XULA digs record of 34 set at home by Anna Dalla Vecchia against Marian (Ind.) in the opening round of NAIA nationals on Nov. 18, 2017. Torres became XULA’s first with back-to-back 30-dig matches; she had 32 a week ago against Carey.

XULA was outhit .212 to .064 through the first two sets, then outhit William Carey .274 to .149 in the final three.

It was the second time that XULA defeated an opponent it lost to earlier this season.

XULA’s next match will start at 7 p.m. Nov. 13 at Mobile.