Buchanan, Badgers defeat Gold Nuggets in three sets
October 6, 2010

     NEW ORLEANS — Freshman Sha Sha Buchanan had a career-high 11 kills Wednesday to lead Spring Hill to a 25-16, 25-13, 25-22 women's volleybal victory over Xavier University of Louisiana at The Barn.
     The victory was the ninth in a row for the Badgers (14-2), and the Gold Nuggets (4-14) extended their school-record losing streak to 11. Spring Hill beat Xavier for the second time in six days.
     Buchanan recorded kills on eight of her first nine attempts and finished with a .529 hitting percentage. It's the third time in four matches that Buchanan hit better than .500.
     Erin Vincent had 12 kills and Sierra Lyons seven to lead Xavier, which played at home for the first time in three weeks.
     Five Xavier attack errors in the first set fueled a 12-2 Spring Hill run which gave the Badgers a 16-8 lead. Yiting Cao's kill clinched that set, then Spring Hill opened the second set with a 14-3 run which included four Cassandra Marchand kills.
     Xavier took its biggest lead when it scored five of the first six points in the final set, but Abbey Roam's kill put Spring Hill ahead to stay, 11-10. Buchanan followed with two aces to extend the lead to 14-10. Cao closed the set with her ninth kill of the match.
     Spring Hill, No. 3 in the NAIA in hitting percentage, finished at .375 with 42 kills and nine errors in 88 attacks. Cao and Meredith Donald had 12 digs apiece, and Cao served three aces.
     Both teams will compete next at the Faulkner Invitational in Montgomery, Ala., but will not be paired. Xavier will play Friday at 11:30 a.m. against Brenau and 3:30 p.m. vs. Asbury.