Xavier University Athletics
Friday, November 13
Omaha, Neb.
8 P.M.
Xavier University
at
Creighton
Musketeers Look to Win Sixth Straight Match, Take Down First-Place Bluejays on Friday
11.11.15 | Volleyball
Xavier is 15-10 on the year and 11-3 in BIG EAST play
CINCINNATI – Xavier volleyball looks to extend its win streak to six matches on Friday night, traveling to Creighton who ranks first in the BIG EAST standings. The match is slated for 8 p.m. EST and will be aired on the BIG EAST Digital Network.
The Musketeers went 2-0 last weekend with wins over Seton Hall and Villanova. Xavier is 15-10 on the year and 11-3 in BIG EAST play, ranking second in the conference standings.
Creighton enters the match with a 20-8 (14-1 BIG EAST) record. The Bluejays have won three straight matches and are 11-3 when playing at home.
• Junior Sofia Peterson was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Tuesday morning. Peterson led the team with 3.25 k/s and a .368 hitting percentage last week. The junior also had three digs and seven blocks (six assists, one solo).
• In the three-set win over Seton Hall on Friday night, Peterson had a team-high 10 kills and hit .625. She followed that performance with a match-high 16 kills in the five-set win over Villanova on Saturday.
• Peterson is the second Musketeer to earn the weekly honors as Abbey Bessler has been named to the weekly honor roll five times (Aug. 31, Oct. 5, Oct. 12, Oct. 19, Nov. 2). Bessler has also been named player of the week twice (Oct. 26, Sept. 28).
• The Musketeers had nine more blocks (21-12) than their opponents last week, paced by Lauren Frilling who had eight. Xavier has posted 10 or more blocks in match six times this season – including three of its last four contests.
• Abbey Bessler led the team with 4.25 d/s in two matches last week. The junior outside hitter also added 2.25 k/s to go along with three blocks and two service aces.
• Kristen Massa posted 2.50 k/s last week with seven blocks. The sophomore outside hitter ranks second on the team in kills (2.73 k/s).
• In BIG EAST only action, the Musketeers rank second in hitting percentage (.269), kills (14.36 k/s), assists (13.62 a/s), while ranking third in service aces (1.42 a/s).
• The Musketeers are 0-8 all-time against the Bluejays, including a four-set loss at Cintas Center on Oct. 17.
• Xavier dropped a four-set match (25-21, 18-25, 21-25, 21-25) to Creighton on Oct. 17 earlier this season. The Musketeers hit .262 in the loss and had one more block (8-7) than the Bluejays.
• Abbey Bessler and Sofia Peterson led the team with 12 kills each, while Makayla Agin added nine. Meredith Klare posted a match-high 16 digs.
• In the most recent release of the NCAA statistical rankings, the Musketeers rank 70th in the nation in digs per set (16.03 d/s). The Musketeers also rank 57th in team attacks per set (36.71 a/s).
• Abbey Bessler ranks second in the BIG EAST and 61st nationally in attacks per set (10.85 a/s). She also ranks 66th nationally in total kills (372) and 71st in points (417).
• The Musketeers posted a 19-12 overall record last year, the team's 17th straight year with a .500 or above record.
• Xavier has posted a 35-13 record in BIG EAST play since joining the conference in 2013. The Musketeers advanced to the conference tournament in all three seasons.
• Xavier players have earned AVCA All-American honors eight times in the last 10 years. Aubree Smith earned the honors last season, while Abbey Bessler picked up the recognition in 2013.
• Junior Abbey Bessler ranks seventh in career points at Xavier with 1,417.5. She also needs 45 more kills to enter the top-10 in career kills.
• Bessler became the 12th member of the XU 1,000 Kills-1,000 Digs Club in the win at Providence on Oct. 31. She now has 1,228 kills and 1,000 digs.
Pfeffenberger was named head coach on Jan. 29, 2015 after previously serving as the team's associate head coach. All told, she has spent five seasons on the bench as an either an assistant/associate head coach or head coach.
In five years on the Xavier bench, Pfeffenberger has helped the Musketeers post an 90-59 overall record with a 54-24 mark in conference play. XU has also had 12 players earn all-conference honors and two players earn AVCA All-American recognition.
The Musketeers return to action on Sunday, Nov. 15 at Georgetown. First serve is slated for 1 p.m.
The Musketeers went 2-0 last weekend with wins over Seton Hall and Villanova. Xavier is 15-10 on the year and 11-3 in BIG EAST play, ranking second in the conference standings.
Creighton enters the match with a 20-8 (14-1 BIG EAST) record. The Bluejays have won three straight matches and are 11-3 when playing at home.
 | WEEKLY HONORS |
• Junior Sofia Peterson was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Tuesday morning. Peterson led the team with 3.25 k/s and a .368 hitting percentage last week. The junior also had three digs and seven blocks (six assists, one solo).
• In the three-set win over Seton Hall on Friday night, Peterson had a team-high 10 kills and hit .625. She followed that performance with a match-high 16 kills in the five-set win over Villanova on Saturday.
• Peterson is the second Musketeer to earn the weekly honors as Abbey Bessler has been named to the weekly honor roll five times (Aug. 31, Oct. 5, Oct. 12, Oct. 19, Nov. 2). Bessler has also been named player of the week twice (Oct. 26, Sept. 28).
| NOTABLES |
• The Musketeers had nine more blocks (21-12) than their opponents last week, paced by Lauren Frilling who had eight. Xavier has posted 10 or more blocks in match six times this season – including three of its last four contests.
• Abbey Bessler led the team with 4.25 d/s in two matches last week. The junior outside hitter also added 2.25 k/s to go along with three blocks and two service aces.
• Kristen Massa posted 2.50 k/s last week with seven blocks. The sophomore outside hitter ranks second on the team in kills (2.73 k/s).
• In BIG EAST only action, the Musketeers rank second in hitting percentage (.269), kills (14.36 k/s), assists (13.62 a/s), while ranking third in service aces (1.42 a/s).
| SERIES HISTORY |
• The Musketeers are 0-8 all-time against the Bluejays, including a four-set loss at Cintas Center on Oct. 17.
| LAST TIME OUT: CREIGHTON |
• Xavier dropped a four-set match (25-21, 18-25, 21-25, 21-25) to Creighton on Oct. 17 earlier this season. The Musketeers hit .262 in the loss and had one more block (8-7) than the Bluejays.
• Abbey Bessler and Sofia Peterson led the team with 12 kills each, while Makayla Agin added nine. Meredith Klare posted a match-high 16 digs.
| NCAA STAT RANKINGS |
• In the most recent release of the NCAA statistical rankings, the Musketeers rank 70th in the nation in digs per set (16.03 d/s). The Musketeers also rank 57th in team attacks per set (36.71 a/s).
• Abbey Bessler ranks second in the BIG EAST and 61st nationally in attacks per set (10.85 a/s). She also ranks 66th nationally in total kills (372) and 71st in points (417).
| XU VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM |
• The Musketeers posted a 19-12 overall record last year, the team's 17th straight year with a .500 or above record.
• Xavier has posted a 35-13 record in BIG EAST play since joining the conference in 2013. The Musketeers advanced to the conference tournament in all three seasons.
• Xavier players have earned AVCA All-American honors eight times in the last 10 years. Aubree Smith earned the honors last season, while Abbey Bessler picked up the recognition in 2013.
| RECORD WATCH: BESSLER |
• Junior Abbey Bessler ranks seventh in career points at Xavier with 1,417.5. She also needs 45 more kills to enter the top-10 in career kills.
• Bessler became the 12th member of the XU 1,000 Kills-1,000 Digs Club in the win at Providence on Oct. 31. She now has 1,228 kills and 1,000 digs.
| FIRST-YEAR HEAD COACH |
Pfeffenberger was named head coach on Jan. 29, 2015 after previously serving as the team's associate head coach. All told, she has spent five seasons on the bench as an either an assistant/associate head coach or head coach.
In five years on the Xavier bench, Pfeffenberger has helped the Musketeers post an 90-59 overall record with a 54-24 mark in conference play. XU has also had 12 players earn all-conference honors and two players earn AVCA All-American recognition.
| UP NEXT |
The Musketeers return to action on Sunday, Nov. 15 at Georgetown. First serve is slated for 1 p.m.
Players Mentioned
OH/RS
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
DS/Libero
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
RS
/ Volleyball
Setter
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