Xavier University Athletics
Friday, November 6
Cincinnati, Ohio
7 P.M.
Xavier University
vs
Seton Hall
Musketeers, Pirates Set For Friday Night Match
11.05.15 | Volleyball
Xavier enters the match with a 9-3 BIG EAST record
CINCINNATI – Xavier volleyball returns to action on Friday, Nov. 5 against Seton Hall. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center.
The Musketeers went 2-0 last week with road wins at St. John's and Providence. Xavier has now won three consecutive matches.
Xavier is 9-3 in the BIG EAST to rank third in the conference standings, while Seton Hall is sixth with a 5-8 record. The Musketeers are 13-10 on the year and the Pirates are 11-14.
Seton Hall went 0-2 last weekend with home losses against Georgetown and Creighton. The Pirates dropped a five-set match against the Hoyas on Oct. 30 before being swept in three sets by the Bluejays on Halloween.
• Friday's match versus Seton Hall will serve as Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night. All faculty and staff members who present their ALL Card at the ticket window will receive four complimentary tickets.
• Fans attending Saturday's men's basketball exhibition gain free admission to the volleyball match against Villanova at 7 p.m. The basketball ticket is only good for one free admission.
• Junior Abbey Bessler was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday after helping the Musketeers pick up two conference road wins last weekend. She averaged 3.89 k/s and 3.2 d/s and added six blocks and two service aces.
• Bessler has been named BIG EAST Player of the Week twice (Oct. 26, Sept. 28) this year and has picked up weekly honor roll honors five times (Aug. 31, Oct. 5, Oct. 12, Oct. 19, Nov. 2).
• Freshman Laura Grossman averaged 3.11 k/s in two matches last weekend, totaling 28 kills. The outside hitter also had a .390 hitting percentage, five service aces, 10 digs and three blocks.
• Brooke Betts posted 14 kills with a .619 hitting percentage in two matches last weekend. The junior also led the team in blocks with 15, including a career high nine at Providence.
• Xavier had 16.5 more blocks (27-10.5) than their opponents last week. The Musketeers had a season-high 15 blocks against St. John's and 12 versus Providence. XU now has five matches with 10 or more blocks this season.
• Mackenzi Humm averaged 6.22 a/s last week, while McKena Estes added 5.78 a/s. Humm ranks 10th in the BIG EAST in the category (5.32 a/s) and Estes ranks 11th (5.31 a/s), respectively.
• In BIG EAST only action, the Musketeers rank second in hitting percentage (.277), kills (14.57 k/s), assists (13.88 a/s) and service aces (1.50 a/s).
• Abbey Bessler has averaged 4.14 k/s and 3.45 d/s in five career matches against the Pirates.
• The Musketeers are 4-1 all-time against the Pirates. Xavier won the first meeting this season in South Orange, N.J., on Oct. 10 in five sets.
• Xavier trailed 2-0 in the first meeting this year before posting a come-from-behind victory in five sets. The Musketeers posted a season-high 10 service aces against the Pirates.
• The Musketeers had four players with 10 or more kills at Seton Hall, led by Abbey Bessler's match-high 18 kills. XU also had seven more blocks (11-4) than the Pirates in the match.
• In the most recent release of the NCAA statistical rankings, the Musketeers rank 68th in the nation in digs per set (16.00 d/s). The Musketeers also rank 57th in team attacks per set (36.72 a/s).
• Abbey Bessler ranks second in the BIG EAST and 48th nationally in attacks per set (11.16 a/s). She also ranks 59th nationally in total kills (354) and 67th points (395.5).
• 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 33-13 record in BIG EAST play since joining the conference in 2013. The Musketeers advanced to the conference tournament in both 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 1,396. She also needs 63 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 88-59 overall record with a 52-24 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 Saturday, Nov. 6 against Villanova at 7 p.m.
The Musketeers went 2-0 last week with road wins at St. John's and Providence. Xavier has now won three consecutive matches.
Xavier is 9-3 in the BIG EAST to rank third in the conference standings, while Seton Hall is sixth with a 5-8 record. The Musketeers are 13-10 on the year and the Pirates are 11-14.
Seton Hall went 0-2 last weekend with home losses against Georgetown and Creighton. The Pirates dropped a five-set match against the Hoyas on Oct. 30 before being swept in three sets by the Bluejays on Halloween.
 | PROMOTIONS |
• Friday's match versus Seton Hall will serve as Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night. All faculty and staff members who present their ALL Card at the ticket window will receive four complimentary tickets.
• Fans attending Saturday's men's basketball exhibition gain free admission to the volleyball match against Villanova at 7 p.m. The basketball ticket is only good for one free admission.
| WEEKLY HONORS |
• Junior Abbey Bessler was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday after helping the Musketeers pick up two conference road wins last weekend. She averaged 3.89 k/s and 3.2 d/s and added six blocks and two service aces.
• Bessler has been named BIG EAST Player of the Week twice (Oct. 26, Sept. 28) this year and has picked up weekly honor roll honors five times (Aug. 31, Oct. 5, Oct. 12, Oct. 19, Nov. 2).
| NOTABLES |
• Freshman Laura Grossman averaged 3.11 k/s in two matches last weekend, totaling 28 kills. The outside hitter also had a .390 hitting percentage, five service aces, 10 digs and three blocks.
• Brooke Betts posted 14 kills with a .619 hitting percentage in two matches last weekend. The junior also led the team in blocks with 15, including a career high nine at Providence.
• Xavier had 16.5 more blocks (27-10.5) than their opponents last week. The Musketeers had a season-high 15 blocks against St. John's and 12 versus Providence. XU now has five matches with 10 or more blocks this season.
• Mackenzi Humm averaged 6.22 a/s last week, while McKena Estes added 5.78 a/s. Humm ranks 10th in the BIG EAST in the category (5.32 a/s) and Estes ranks 11th (5.31 a/s), respectively.
• In BIG EAST only action, the Musketeers rank second in hitting percentage (.277), kills (14.57 k/s), assists (13.88 a/s) and service aces (1.50 a/s).
• Abbey Bessler has averaged 4.14 k/s and 3.45 d/s in five career matches against the Pirates.
| SERIES HISTORY |
• The Musketeers are 4-1 all-time against the Pirates. Xavier won the first meeting this season in South Orange, N.J., on Oct. 10 in five sets.
| LAST TIME OUT: SETON HALL |
• Xavier trailed 2-0 in the first meeting this year before posting a come-from-behind victory in five sets. The Musketeers posted a season-high 10 service aces against the Pirates.
• The Musketeers had four players with 10 or more kills at Seton Hall, led by Abbey Bessler's match-high 18 kills. XU also had seven more blocks (11-4) than the Pirates in the match.
| NCAA STAT RANKINGS |
• In the most recent release of the NCAA statistical rankings, the Musketeers rank 68th in the nation in digs per set (16.00 d/s). The Musketeers also rank 57th in team attacks per set (36.72 a/s).
• Abbey Bessler ranks second in the BIG EAST and 48th nationally in attacks per set (11.16 a/s). She also ranks 59th nationally in total kills (354) and 67th points (395.5).
| 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 33-13 record in BIG EAST play since joining the conference in 2013. The Musketeers advanced to the conference tournament in both 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 1,396. She also needs 63 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 88-59 overall record with a 52-24 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 Saturday, Nov. 6 against Villanova at 7 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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Setter
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