Red River Athletic Conference – Xavier sweeps RRAC volleyball weekly awards, takes control of conference

Xavier’s Semira Blair had a double-double in a showdown with OLLU.

WACO, Texas — Kennedy Wade of Xavier University (La.) was recognized as the RRAC Volleyball Attacker of the Week award for Oct. 18-24. XULA’s Semira Blair earned the RRAC Setter of the Week honor and her teammate, Linda Mungai, wrapped up RRAC Defender of the Week for the same dates. This is the ninth set of weekly awards for the 2021 RRAC volleyball season.

Wade hit better than .300 in both matches as the Gold Nuggets went 2-0 last week at the RRAC crossover event. The sophomore outside hitter from Gainesville, Fla., recorded a season-high 15 kills as Xavier ended Our Lady of the Lake University’s (Texas) 17-match win streak. Wade also produced a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs in a 3-0 sweep of University of the Southwest (N.M.). She also set a new career-high with four service aces against USW. For the week, Wade posted a hitting percentage of .357 and averaged 3.57 kills per set. The Gold Nuggets improved to 7-1 in the RRAC and 8-6 overall. They are currently in position to be the top seed in the RRAC tournament.

Blair’s setting helped Xavier become the first RRAC team to hit better than .135 against OLLU this season. The junior setter from Fort Worth, Texas, achieved her fourth double-double of the season with 24 assists and 13 digs in that match. Blair finished the week with 40 assists and 5.7 per set while sharing duties with Emi Riglioni who contributed 31 assists. She also tied a career-high with five service aces against USW. 

Mungai generated a match-high 22 digs and season-high six assists versus OLLU. The sophomore libero from Busto Arsizio, Italy, led a defensive effort that limited the Saints to a season-low .068 hitting percentage. It was Mungai’s fifth match of the season with 20 or more digs. She accounted for 37 digs on the week and an average of 5.3 digs per set. 

Additional RRAC volleyball weekly nominees: Kaia Brooks (Jarvis Christian), Keyona Easter (JCC), Merritt Elder (Wiley), Johnice Hubbard (JCC), LeAndria Jackson (Wiley), Hailie Williams (Wiley).