Xavier University Athletics
Friday, September 18
Cincinnati, Ohio
6 P.M.
Xavier University
vs
Kentucky
Volleyball Plays Host to No. 24 Kentucky on Friday Night
09.17.15 | Volleyball
Musketeers return to Cintas Center after seven straight road matches
CINCINNATI – Xavier volleyball returns to Cintas Center on Friday, Sept. 18 against No. 24 Kentucky – its second nationally ranked foe in as many matches.
The Musketeers have played seven straight matches on the road after opening the season with back-to-back victories at home over Northern Kentucky and Eastern Michigan. XU enters the match with a 4-5 record, while the Wildcats are 5-5.
Xavier is looking for its first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 12 Dayton in four sets on Oct. 19, 2007 at Cintas Center.
After going 0-3 at the Ohio Bobcat Invitational on Sept. 4-5 against tough competition, the Musketeers responded with a 2-1 mark at the Aloft Seminole Invitational on Sept. 11-12. Xavier placed second at the tournament with wins over Florida A&M and Coastal Carolina.
Makayla Agin and McKena Estes were tabbed to the Aloft Seminole Invitational All-Tournament Team last weekend.
Agin recorded 25 kills (2.08 k/s) with a .333 hitting percentage over the weekend. The senior posted a match-high 12 kills and .526 hitting percentage in Saturday's three-set loss at No. 19 Florida State.
Estes had 40 assists and 24 digs over the weekend, highlighted by her first career double-double in the five-set win over Coastal Carolina. The freshman had a team-high 20 assists and 12 digs against the Chanticleers.
The Musketeers trail the all-time series with Kentucky, 0-1. Xavier lost in four sets (26-24, 20-25, 23-25, 18-25) at No. 15 Kentucky on Sept. 20 last season.
Abbey Bessler posted a match-high 17 kills against the Wildcats to go along with five digs and two service aces.
Kentucky posted a 1-2 record last weekend at the Shocker Volleyball Classic. The Wildcats dropped a three-set match against No. 7 Illinois and a five-set match to Wichita State with their lone win coming against Northern Illinois in three sets.
Sophomores Darian Mack and Kaz Brown earned all-tournament team honors at the conclusion of the tournament. Mack had a team-high 39 kills, while Brown added 28 kills a team-high 18 blocks.
In the second release of the NCAA statistical rankings, the Musketeers rank second the nation in digs per set (18.81 d/s). The Musketeers also rank second in team attacks per set (40.09 a/s).
• Kristen Massa led the Musketeers with 34 kills last weekend. The sophomore ranks second on the squad with 2.81 k/s.
• Sofia Peterson recorded 23 kills last weekend with a .315 hitting percentage. The middle blocker ranks third on the team in kills (69), while ranking second in blocks (17).
• Lauren Frilling led the Musketeers with 11 blocks last weekend to go along with 20 kills and a .333 hitting percentage. The middle blocker paces the team with 26 blocks on the year.
• Redshirt-freshman Meredith Klare ranks second in the BIG EAST in digs per set (4.91) and third in total digs (157).
• The Musketeers posted a 19-12 overall record last year, the team's 17th straight year with a .500 or above record.
• Xavier finished fourth in the BIG EAST standings a year ago with a 12-6 mark to move their conference record to 24-10 since joining the league in 2013. 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 ninth in career points at Xavier with 1,125. She also needs 309 more kills to enter the top-10 in career kills.
Xavier was selected to finish third in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll on Aug. 5 as voted on by the league's 10 head coaches. Creighton, the reigning BIG EAST Tournament and regular-season champions, was picked to win the conference as the Bluejays received 81 points and nine first-place votes.
Abbey Bessler was one of five unanimous selections to the 12-member, non-positional preseason all-conference team. The outside hitter earned AVCA All-Regional Honorable Mention Team honors last season and was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team and All-BIG EAST Tournament Team.
Bessler ranked fifth in the BIG EAST in kills (420) last season and sixth in total points. The two-time All-BIG EAST First Team selection is one of four returning starters for the 2015 season.
Christy 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 a 79-54 overall record with a 43-21 mark in conference play. XU has also had 12 players earn all-conference honors and two players earn AVCA All-American recognition.
Xavier opens BIG EAST action on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at Marquette. Fans can watch the match on the BIG EAST Digital Network at 7 p.m.
The Musketeers have played seven straight matches on the road after opening the season with back-to-back victories at home over Northern Kentucky and Eastern Michigan. XU enters the match with a 4-5 record, while the Wildcats are 5-5.
Xavier is looking for its first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 12 Dayton in four sets on Oct. 19, 2007 at Cintas Center.
 | LAST TIME OUT |
After going 0-3 at the Ohio Bobcat Invitational on Sept. 4-5 against tough competition, the Musketeers responded with a 2-1 mark at the Aloft Seminole Invitational on Sept. 11-12. Xavier placed second at the tournament with wins over Florida A&M and Coastal Carolina.
| ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM |
Makayla Agin and McKena Estes were tabbed to the Aloft Seminole Invitational All-Tournament Team last weekend.
Agin recorded 25 kills (2.08 k/s) with a .333 hitting percentage over the weekend. The senior posted a match-high 12 kills and .526 hitting percentage in Saturday's three-set loss at No. 19 Florida State.
Estes had 40 assists and 24 digs over the weekend, highlighted by her first career double-double in the five-set win over Coastal Carolina. The freshman had a team-high 20 assists and 12 digs against the Chanticleers.
| SERIES HISTORY: KENTUCKY |
The Musketeers trail the all-time series with Kentucky, 0-1. Xavier lost in four sets (26-24, 20-25, 23-25, 18-25) at No. 15 Kentucky on Sept. 20 last season.
Abbey Bessler posted a match-high 17 kills against the Wildcats to go along with five digs and two service aces.
| SCOUTING THE WILDCATS |
Kentucky posted a 1-2 record last weekend at the Shocker Volleyball Classic. The Wildcats dropped a three-set match against No. 7 Illinois and a five-set match to Wichita State with their lone win coming against Northern Illinois in three sets.
Sophomores Darian Mack and Kaz Brown earned all-tournament team honors at the conclusion of the tournament. Mack had a team-high 39 kills, while Brown added 28 kills a team-high 18 blocks.
| NCAA STAT RANKINGS |
In the second release of the NCAA statistical rankings, the Musketeers rank second the nation in digs per set (18.81 d/s). The Musketeers also rank second in team attacks per set (40.09 a/s).
| XU NOTES |
• Kristen Massa led the Musketeers with 34 kills last weekend. The sophomore ranks second on the squad with 2.81 k/s.
• Sofia Peterson recorded 23 kills last weekend with a .315 hitting percentage. The middle blocker ranks third on the team in kills (69), while ranking second in blocks (17).
• Lauren Frilling led the Musketeers with 11 blocks last weekend to go along with 20 kills and a .333 hitting percentage. The middle blocker paces the team with 26 blocks on the year.
• Redshirt-freshman Meredith Klare ranks second in the BIG EAST in digs per set (4.91) and third in total digs (157).
| 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 finished fourth in the BIG EAST standings a year ago with a 12-6 mark to move their conference record to 24-10 since joining the league in 2013. 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 ninth in career points at Xavier with 1,125. She also needs 309 more kills to enter the top-10 in career kills.
| PRESEASON POLL |
Xavier was selected to finish third in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll on Aug. 5 as voted on by the league's 10 head coaches. Creighton, the reigning BIG EAST Tournament and regular-season champions, was picked to win the conference as the Bluejays received 81 points and nine first-place votes.
| BIG EAST PRESEASON TEAM |
Abbey Bessler was one of five unanimous selections to the 12-member, non-positional preseason all-conference team. The outside hitter earned AVCA All-Regional Honorable Mention Team honors last season and was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team and All-BIG EAST Tournament Team.
Bessler ranked fifth in the BIG EAST in kills (420) last season and sixth in total points. The two-time All-BIG EAST First Team selection is one of four returning starters for the 2015 season.
| FIRST-YEAR HEAD COACH |
Christy 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 a 79-54 overall record with a 43-21 mark in conference play. XU has also had 12 players earn all-conference honors and two players earn AVCA All-American recognition.
| UP NEXT |
Xavier opens BIG EAST action on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at Marquette. Fans can watch the match on the BIG EAST Digital Network at 7 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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DS/Libero
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