Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Ohio<br>(Mortar Board Premiere)
Xavier Ends Weekend with Loss to Ohio
09.17.05 | Volleyball
Sept. 17, 2005
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - In Xavier's final game of the Mortar Board Premiere at Purdue University, the Musketeers fell to Ohio in three games. The Bobcats took the match with scores of 24-30, 17-30 and 27-30.
Game one found Ohio nearly double up on Xavier in kills with the Bobcats pounding out 21 in the game compared to only 12 by the blue and white. With the score at 6-6, OU put together five straight points to increase the lead to 11-5. Xavier tried to answer with a 5-2 and 4-1 spurt to cut the lead to 28-23 but it was too little too late as OU took game one. Jill Quayle had four kills to lead Xavier in the game.
The second game was filled with too many Ohio spurts and not enough answers by the Musketeers. OU took its largest lead of the game at 25-12 after posting a 17-6 edge with the score at 8-6 in favor of Ohio. The Bobcats posted another 20 kills in the second stanza while only committing four hitting errors for a .390 hitting percentage. Xavier only managed 11 kills in the game and mustered a .176 hitting percentage in the game. Junior Astyn Bjorklund notched four kills in the game to pace XU.
A tense stanza rounded out the match with 14 ties and 14 lead changes occurring. The final tie in the game came with the score at 26-26 before Ohio finally was able to grab two consecutive points en route to the victory. OU again posted 20 plus kills, ending the game with 21 but a strong effort at the net by Xavier held the hitting percentage to only .245. Bjorklund again led the charge with five kills and a .500 hitting percentage.
Bjorklund was the only Musketeer with double digit kills as the junior finished with 12. Carley Horvath turned in six digs and an ace, while setter Jenn Welsh dished out 32 assists.
The loss drops Xavier to 9-8 all-time against the Bobcats and XU is now 1-2 against Ohio on a neutral court. Head coach Floyd Deaton is now 4-3 against OU all-time.
Senior Kate Duchek received all-tournament honors for the Musketeers.
Xavier now stands at 6-4 on the season and Ohio moves to 9-2 overall. XU will begin Atlantic 10 play next weekend as they host George Washington on Friday at 7:00 pm followed by Charlotte on Saturday evening at 7:00 pm. The match on Friday night will be the home opener for the Musketeers who have played the first four weeks of the season away from Cintas Center. Xavier holds an all-time record of 47-8 when playing in the friendly confines of Cintas.
