Queen City Classic Action Continues Against Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan

Saturday, August 29

Cincinnati, Ohio

12 P.M.

Xavier University

Eastern Michigan

Queen City Classic Action Continues Against Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan

08.29.15 | Volleyball

Musketeers are coming off a 3-0 win over NKU on Friday night

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier volleyball continues Queen City Classic action on Saturday, Aug. 29 against Eastern Michigan and Cincinnati. The Musketeers face the Eagles at noon at Cintas Center before traveling to Cincinnati for a 6 p.m. match.

The Musketeers are coming off a 3-0 win over Northern Kentucky on Friday night, the first career win for first-year head coach Christy Pfeffenberger. Xavier moved to 21-12 in season openers since start of the 1983 season and have won four of its last five openers.

LAST TIME OUT: XU 3, NKU 0
Abbey Bessler and Kristen Massa engineered the victory as the two players combined for 24 kills. Both players had 12 kills, with Massa posting a game-high .526 attacking percentage. Bessler added a .385 hitting percentage and was one dig shy of a double-double.

Mackenzi Humm recorded a team-high 18 assists, while Meredith Klare added a game-high 13 digs. Xavier also finished the night with a .309 hitting percentage.

SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN
The Eagles are 2-0 this season following back-to-back 3-0 wins over Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati on Friday in the Queen City Classic. Stacey Perinar has led the offense as the senior is averaging 4.5 k/s to start the year.

EMU was tabbed to finish fifth in the Mid-American Conference West Division Preseason Poll following an 18-13 record in 2014. The Eagles are led by first-year head coach Kimi Olson.

EASTERN MICHIGAN SERIES HISTORY
The Musketeers are 1-4 all-time against Eastern Michigan. Xavier's lone win in the series was in the last meeting between the two schools on Sept. 7, 2007 at the Michigan Challenge in Ann Arbor, Mich. XU posted a 3-0 victory.

SCOUTING CINCINNATI
The Bearcats dropped their season opener, 3-0, to Eastern Michigan on Friday afternoon. Four freshmen made appearances in the starting lineup for the Bearcats, including Jade Tingelhoff who recorded a double-double in her first collegiate match with 18 assists and 12 digs.

Cincinnati was picked to finish fifth in the American Athletic Conference Preseason Poll following a 15-17 record last season. Senior Emma Roberson was named to the preseason all-conference team.

CINCINNATI SERIES HISTORY
The Musketeers are 11-21 all-time against the Bearcats. Xavier has won three straight in the series, including a 3-0 win on Aug. 30 last year in the Queen City Classic at Cintas Center.

Abbey Bessler posted a double-double in the win last year with 13 kills and 11 digs. Alexis Newsome added five blocks and XU had eight more blocks (11-3) than the Bearcats.

UP NEXT
Xavier returns to action at the Ohio Bobcat Tournament on Aug. 4-5 in Athens, Ohio. The Musketeers will face Michigan, Ohio and LSU during tournament play.