Musketeers, Blue Demons Set for Midweek Match

Wednesday, September 30

Chicago, Ill.

8 P.M.

Xavier University

DePaul

Musketeers, Blue Demons Set for Midweek Match

09.29.15 | Volleyball

Musketeers look to move to 4-0 in BIG EAST play

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier volleyball travels to DePaul on Wednesday, Sept. 30 for a midweek BIG EAST match. First serve is slated for 8 p.m. EST from McGrath-Phillips Arena.

The Musketeers enter the contest with a 7-6 (3-0 BIG EAST) record, while the Blue Demons are 11-3 (0-2 BIG EAST).

Xavier is coming off a 3-0 start to conference action, posting wins over Marquette, Providence and St. John's last week. After one week of conference play, the Musketeers are averaging 14.45 k/s with a .261 hitting percentage to lead the BIG EAST (conference only matches) in both categories.

DePaul entered conference play on an 11-game win streak before dropping back-to-back BIG EAST matches against Marquette and Butler last week.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Junior Abbey Bessler was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week on Monday afternoon. The Hebron, Ky., native is the first Xavier player to earn the award since Alex Smith on Nov. 25, 2013. All told, Bessler has earned BIG EAST Rookie of the Week honors twice and has been tabbed to the weekly honor roll eight times – most recently on Aug. 31, 2015.

BESSLER'S BREAKOUT WEEK

• Abbey Bessler started the week by eclipsing the 1,000th career kill mark in the Musketeers 3-0 win at Marquette on Sept. 23. She now has 1,054 career kills.

• Abbey Bessler posted a school record 33 kills in the Musketeers five-set victory over St. John's on Sept. 25. She also added 11 digs and a .370 hitting percentage. The 33 kills are the most in a match by a BIG EAST player this season.

• On the week, Abbey Bessler averaged 5.5 k/s - totaling 61 kills - with a .339 hitting percentage. She added 3.91 d/s to go along with four blocks and three assists.

NOTABLES

• Xavier's 3-0 start to BIG EAST play is the Musketeers best start to conference play since opening the 2011 season with five straight victories.

• Sofia Peterson hit .339 last week with 27 kills and eight blocks. The middle blocker ranks second on the squad in blocks (28) and third in kills (104).

• Lauren Frilling recorded a .361 hitting percentage last week, while adding 17 kills and eight blocks. The sophomore middle blocker has doubled her kills and blocks from a year - ranking first on the squad in blocks (40) and fifth in kills (77).

• Redshirt-freshman Meredith Klare paces the Musketeers with 4.57 d/s, ranking third in the BIG EAST in the category. The libero averaged 4.36 d/s in three matches last week.

• McKena Estes and Mackenzi Humm continue to share the setter responsibilities this season. Humm has averaged 4.86 a/s, while Estes has added 4.82 a/s.

SERIES HISTORY

• The Musketeers are 11-4 all-time against DePaul and have won six straight in the series. XU won both matches last year in four sets.

• Makayla Agin averaged 3.12 k/s in the two meetings a year ago, totaling 25 kills with a .362 hitting percentage. Abbey Bessler added 3.29 k/s and a .328 hitting percentage.

• Xavier hit .331 against DePaul last year, paced by Alex Blair (.458) and Sofia Peterson (.405).

• Makayla Agin has hit .367 in three career matches against DePaul with 3.09 k/s. Abbey Bessler has added 3.77 k/s in four career matches with a .336 attack percentage.

SCOUTING DEPAUL

• DePaul was picked to finish ninth in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll after finishing the 2014 season with a 3-27 (1-17 BIG EAST) record. The Blue Demons returned 14 letterwinners and seven starters from a year ago.

• DePaul leads the conference in hitting percentage (.257), while ranking fourth in kills (13.36 k/s). Caitlyn Coffey paces the BIG EAST in hitting percentage (.400) and Callie Huebener ranks second in service aces (23).

NCAA STAT RANKINGS

• In the most recent release of the NCAA statistical rankings, the Musketeers rank sixth the nation in digs per set (17.31 d/s). The Musketeers also rank 12th in team attacks per set (37.94 a/s).

• Abbey Bessler ranks second in the BIG EAST and 51st nationally in attacks per set (11.06 a/s). Meredith Klare ranks third in the conference in digs per set (4.57 d/s) and 79th nationally.

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 27-10 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 ninth in career points at Xavier with 1,201.5. She also needs 237 more kills to enter the top-10 in career kills.

• Bessler is 124 digs away from becoming the 12th member of the 1,000 Kills-1,000 Digs Club. Sarah Brown (2010-13) was the last Xavier player to enter the club, finishing her career with 1,076 kills and 1,210 digs.

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 an 82-55 overall record with a 46-21 mark in conference play. XU has also had 12 players earn all-conference honors and two players earn AVCA All-American recognition.

UP NEXT

The Musketeers continue BIG EAST play at Butler on Saturday, Oct. 3. First serve is at 2 p.m. with the match being aired on the BIG EAST Digital Network.