Box Score The Spring Hill College (SHC) volleyball team earned a hard-fought 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-23) victory over non-conference rival the Xavier University (La.) Gold Nuggets on Monday night at the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center.
 
The upset-minded Gold Nuggets (13-15) came out fighting in the first set by rallying back to take leads away from the Badgers on three occasion. First, Xavier turned a 4-2 early deficit into a 6-4 lead, then XU reversed a 10-8 hole to a 12-10 advantage and the Nuggets finally used a 4-0 run to make an 18-15 Badger lead into a 19-18 XU cushion. From there, the teams went hammer-and-tong trading points until SHC used a final three-point run to close out a 25-22 victory.
 
In the second set, the fast-paced action continued with both teams claiming and losing one-points leads until the Badgers used a six-point run behind the serving of senior Savannah Becnel to elbow out breathing room at 21-14. Even then, Xavier refused to go away quietly and took five of the final nine points to push the Badgers to a 25-19 decision.
 
Set No. 3 was no different than its two predecessors with Xavier clawing out a 10-6 bulge and pushing away numerous Badger attempts to retake the lead. The Gold Nuggets successfully kept SHC at a two- to three-point disadvantage and then stretched out a late 18-13 lead. After a timeout, Spring Hill regrouped to fight back within range at 19-18 and tied the set for the first time since 2-2 at 20-20. The set was then tied at 21-21, 22-22 and 23-23 until Becnel once again stepped to the service line and finished the final two points including an ace for match point.
 
As testament to the battle the two teams fought, the score was tied 29 times with 15 lead changes during the match.

Senior Madison Seuzeneau led a balanced SHC attack with 12 kills while freshmen Sarah Senft and Payton Gidney knocked down 11 and 10 kills respectively. Redshirt freshman setter Anna Tietjens handed out 38 assists and collected 11 digs. On defense, freshman libero Cassidi Sterrett led the Badgers with 18 digs and 17 receptions as Becnel stopped two solo blocks and two assisted blocks with three aces on the night.
 
As a team, SHC hit for a .229 (46-14-140) attack percentage with four aces, 69 digs and seven (4-6) blocks.
 
For visiting Xavier, Julianna Tomasoni had 10 kills, setter Tiffany Phillips had 34 assists, libero Amanda Perry collected 15 digs and 21 receptions. In total, the Gold Nuggets hit for a .130 (38-20-138) attack percentage with two aces, 68 digs and five (1-8) blocks.
 
The Badgers (26-5, 17-0 SIAC) will close out the 2016 season by hosting a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) West Division contest versus the Tuskegee University Lady Golden Tigers (10-14; 10-6 SIAC) on Friday, November 4, at 6 p.m. in the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center. Before the match, the Badgers will honor their Senior Class teammates with the annual Senior Night ceremony.