Musketeers Travel to Bobcat Invitational

Friday, September 4

Athens, Ohio

10 A.M.

Xavier University

Michigan

09.03.15 | Volleyball

Xavier volleyball set to play Ohio, LSU and Michigan over the weekend

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier volleyball travels to the Bobcat Invitational hosted by Ohio University on Sept. 4-5 in Athens, Ohio. The Musketeers are slated to play the host Bobcats, LSU and Michigan.

Xavier is coming off a 2-1 season-opening weekend at the Queen City Classic on Aug. 28-29. The Musketeers posted home victories over Northern Kentucky and Eastern Michigan before falling in the tournament finale at crosstown rival Cincinnati.

All three of Xavier's matches can be viewed online at OhioBobcats.com for free. Links to live coverage including live stats are available at GoXavier.com.

THE SCHEDULE

Friday, Sept. 4 vs Michigan | 10 a.m.
Friday, Sept. 4 at Ohio | 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 5 vs LSU | 10:30 a.m.

SCOUTING OHIO

Ohio moved to 3-1 on the year following a four-set victory at No. 10 Kentucky on Monday night. The three-time defending Mid-American Conference Champions return five starters from last year's squad that posted a 23-6 overall record.

SERIES HISTORY: OHIO

The all-time series between Ohio and Xavier is tied at 9-9 with the Bobcats winning the last meeting between the two schools, 3-0, on Sept. 12, 2014 in the Millennium Hotel Invitational hosted by Xavier. Abbey Bessler posted a double-double in the loss with a match-high 14 kills to go along with 11 digs. The outside hitter also posted a .400 hitting percentage.

SCOUTING LSU

The Tigers enter the weekend 0-3 with losses against UC Irvine, Rice and No. 3 Texas at the American Campus Classic on Aug. 28-29 in Austin, Texas. LSU was tabbed to finish sixth in the SEC Preseason Poll after posting a 20-9 record a year ago.

Senior Cati Leak led the Tigers in the kill column last weekend, averaging 3.00 k/s, while adding 2.92 d/s to rank second on the team. All told, the Tigers return five starters and 10 letterwinners from last season.

SERIES HISTORY: LSU

The all-time series between the two schools is tied 1-1. Xavier won the last meeting with LSU, 3-2, on Sept. 9, 2011 at the Western Kentucky Tournament in Bowling Green, Ky.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN

The Wolverines are 3-0 on the year with wins over George Washington, Oakland and West Virginia at the Michigan Invitational on Aug. 28-29. Michigan received 42 votes in the most recent AVCA Coaches Poll.

Four players have over 20 kills on the year for a balanced offensive attack, paced by Caroline Knop's 2.80 k/s. Tiffany Morales leads the team in digs (41), moving her career total to 1,509 digs – ranking third in career digs at Michigan.

SERIES HISTORY: MICHIGAN

Michigan leads the all-time series, 4-0. Xavier dropped the last meeting between the two schools in three sets on Aug. 30, 2013 at the Xavier Invitational. The Wolverines were ranked seventh nationally entering the match.

BESSLER EARNS WEEKLY HONORS

Abbey Bessler was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday for the eighth time in her career. The outside hitter averaged 4.45 k/s last weekend and totaled 49 kills, while adding 45 digs, five blocks and two service aces.

NEW SETTERS FOR XAVIER

With the graduation of All-American Aubree Smith, redshirt-sophomore Mackenzi Humm and true freshman McKena Estes have split time at setter. Humm paces the squad with 72 assists, while Estes has added 55. Humm also paces XU with six service aces to rank third in the BIG EAST.

NEW LIBERO TOO

Meredith Klare has stepped into the libero position after taking a redshirt during her first year with the program. The Union, Ky., native paces the squad with 5.18 d/s to rank third in the BIG EAST.

THE 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: ABBEY BESSLER

Junior Abbey Bessler is close to cracking the top-10 career charts at Xavier. She needs 40.5 more points to enter the career total points chart and 368 kills to enter the top-10 in career kills.

BIG EAST 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.

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 four seasons on the bench as an either an assistant or associate head coach.

In four years on the Xavier bench, Pfeffenberger helped the Musketeers post a 75-49 overall record with a 43-21 mark in conference play. XU also had 12 players earn all-conference honors and two players earn AVCA All-American recognition.

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.

UP NEXT

The Musketeers travel to the Aloft Seminole Invitational on Sept. 11-12. XU will play Florida A&M, Coastal Carolina and Florida State.