Musketeers Drop First BIG EAST Match of Season at DePaul

Wednesday, September 30

Chicago, Ill.

8 P.M.

Xavier University

7-7 (3-1BIG EAST)

DePaul

12-3 (1-2BIG EAST)

Xavier

DePaul

Photo by: Bob Stevens

Musketeers Drop First BIG EAST Match of Season at DePaul

09.30.15 | Volleyball

Box Score

Xavier moves to 3-1 in conference action

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CHICAGO - Xavier volleyball dropped its first BIG EAST match of the season on Wednesday night, falling at DePaul in four sets (23-25, 23-25, 25-20, 23-25) at McGrath-Phillips Arena. The loss snapped a six-game win streak in the series history for Xavier, while giving the Blue Demons their first conference win over the Musketeers.

Xavier posted its third highest hitting percentage of the season (.307), but couldn't overcome a season-high 16 service errors in the loss. All told, the Musketeers committed 46 miscues on the night.

The Musketeers fall to 7-7 overall and 3-1 in BIG EAST play, while DePaul improves to 12-3 on the year and 1-2 in conference play.

Abbey Bessler led the Musketeers with a match-high 28 kills and 16 digs. The junior outside hitter also added a .322 hitting percentage.

Three other XU players had double-figure kills in Sofia Peterson (13), Makayla Agin (11) and Laura Grossman (10). The 10 kills for Grossman marked a career high for the freshman outside hitter.

McKena Estes had a team-high 29 assists to go along with five digs and three service aces. Mackenzi Humm chipped in 27 assists and 11 digs in the loss.

Xavier trailed 23-18 in the opening frame before the Musketeers scored five straight points capped by a Sofia Peterson to knot the match at 23, the sixth tie of the set. A kill by DePaul's Caitlyn Coffey and a XU attacking error held off the Musketeers rally as DePaul won the set, 25-23. The Blue Demons hit .353 in the opening set.

Neither squad led by more than three points in set two as the stanza had 12 ties and five lead changes. Xavier led 23-22 before a Jasmine King kill and back-to-back hitting errors by the Musketeers gave the Blue Demons the set, 25-23. Bessler hit .500 in the set with nine kills.

Xavier led by as many as five points three times in the third stanza behind a .405 hitting percentage, winning the frame 25-20. The Musketeers were led by Bessler who had nine kills in the set.

DePaul led from start to finish in set four, holding on for the 25-23 victory. Trailing 24-20, the Musketeers scored three straight points capped by back-to-back kills by Grossman before Saige Smith sealed the victory with her ninth kill of the match.

Jasmine King led DePaul with 10 kills, while Colleen Smith added a match-high 35 assists.

The Musketeers return to action on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Butler. The BIG EAST match is slated to begin at 2 p.m. and will be aired on the BIG EAST Digital Network.