Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Fordham
Xavier Volleyball Slips by Fordham
10.13.06 | Volleyball
Oct. 13, 2006
Box Score | Photo Gallery
CINCINNATI - In Atlantic 10 Conference action from the Cintas Center on Friday night, Xavier staved off a tough Fordham team to claim a 3-1 victory. The Musketeers used scores of 27-30, 30-18, 30-22 and 31-29. XU improves to 12-9 overall and 5-1 in A-10 play, while Fordham falls to 14-11 on the season and 1-4 in conference action.
In the opening game, Fordham took its first ever game at Cintas Center. The Rams jumped out to the early 10-4 advantage and did not look back as the closest XU would get is three points at the 26-23 mark. Xavier would record a .304 hitting percentage but it would be topped by the Rams' .368 hitting percentage.
The Musketeers would retaliate in the second game and need only one tie and the decisive lead change with the score 6-6 en route to the 12-point win. The Blue and White would hold Fordham to a .063 hitting percentage on the game and force 10 hitting errors.
With the score tied at 12-12 in the third game, XU went on a quick four-point spurt to take the 16-12 lead. The Rams would rally back to cut the lead to three at 20-17 but XU again pulled away by scoring the next six points to put the game out of reach.
In the fourth game, Xavier's Jenn Welsh served three straight aces to start the game and give XU the early 5-1 advantage before the Rams came back to tie the score at 6-6.
Senior Danielle Skrajewski led the way with her 47th career double double with 25 kills and 14 digs. She is now five digs shy of her 1,000th and it would put her into XU's 1,000-1,000 club as the ninth member in the history of the program. Senior Astyn Bjorklund bested her previous two matches with 23 kills and a .452 hitting percentage. Jill Quayle was the final Musketeer in double figure kills as the junior finished with 13. Freshman Lauren Kaminsky led the XU defensive efforts with 16 digs and Welsh ended the night with a career-high six aces and 64 assists.
Xavier now is 20-1 all-time against Fordham and holds a 5-0 advantage at Cintas Center. The Rams have yet to win a game at Cintas as the Musketeers have swept them in all five meetings (15-0).
The Musketeers will be back in action tomorrow afternoon as XU will welcome Rhode Island to Cintas Center for the finale of the A-10 weekend series. Match time is set for 4:00 pm. The Rams are 1-5 all-time at Cintas with their only win coming in the 2003 season. In the teams' last matchup in Cincinnati, XU was taken to the wire by URI eventually winning 3-2. The all-time series between the two schools stands tied at 12-12.
