Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
La Salle
Volleyball Sweeps La Salle, Remains Unbeaten in A-10 Play
10.10.08 | Volleyball
Oct. 10, 2008
CINCINNATI - The Xavier volleyball team dispatched of the visiting La Salle Explorers in straight sets, 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-18), Friday night at Cintas Center to remain unbeaten in Atlantic 10 play. Sophomore Claire Paszkiewicz led the Musketeers, posting the only double-double of the night with 12 assists and 13 digs. Xavier out-killed La Salle by an impressive margin of 50-21 in the match.
Also for the Musketeers, junior Hillary Otte tallied a match-high 12 kills on the night while senior Jenn Welsh recorded 30 assists. Junior Kelly Ruth had 11 digs to go along with seven kills and sophomore Chelsea Campbell was one away from double-digit kills with nine.
Xavier (10-7, 3-0 A-10) led early in the first set, 4-1, but the Explorers pulled to within two at 6-4 after a Musketeer attack error. XU then rattled off five unanswered points to break open the set, 11-4. La Salle could only muster two more points before another Xavier run stretched the Musketeer lead to 12, 18-6. The Explorers cut the advantage back to nine, 23-14, but a kill from Otte and a La Salle attack error sealed the set for XU, 25-14.
La Salle (5-16, 1-5 A-10) struggled to score a point in the second set as Xavier scored the first seven straight. A kill from Explorer Christa Dominick stopped the Musketeer run but La Salle soon found itself down, 11-4. XU rattled off five more unanswered before La Salle tallied two consecutive points to pull within 10, 16-6. Two Xavier kills and a service ace by sophomore Shannon Voors put XU ahead by 14, 20-6, but four consecutive XU attack errors allowed La Salle to stay in the game. The Musketeers finished off the set with a kill from freshman Kathryn Traut to take the frame, 25-14, and a two-set lead.
The deciding third set was much closer than the first two as La Salle was quick to jump out to the 4-1 lead. The Explorers would go up by four, 7-3, on a kill from Amy McKeon before the Musketeers started to close the gap. The two squads found themselves tied at eight apiece after back-to-back kills from junior Lauren Kaminsky and Campbell. Both teams traded points, leads and ties until an Explorer attack error gave the Musketeers the lead for good at 17-16. Xavier closed out the match with a 7-1 run as XU took the third set, 25-18, and the match, 3-0.
The Explorers were led by Jackie Kushman with five kills and a match-high 21 digs. Three Explorers tallied four kills apiece and Rachel Stemper got under 10 digs on the night.
The Musketeers return to action on Saturday, Oct. 11 as they welcome A-10 foe Temple to Cintas Center. First serve is set for 5 p.m.
