BIG EAST Action Continues at Providence, Creighton

Friday, November 4

Providence, R.I.

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Providence

BIG EAST Action Continues at Providence, Creighton

11.03.16 | Volleyball

Musketeers rank third in the conference standings with an 8-4 record

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier volleyball continues BIG EAST action on Nov. 4-6, hitting the road for back-to-back matches. The Musketeers have won six of their last seven games, including three straight.

THE MATCHUP VS PROVIDENCE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (14-11, 8-4) at PROVIDENCE FRIARS (13-15, 1-11)
Match Info: Friday, Nov. 4 - 7 p.m. - Alumni Hall
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/2eo2NS6
Watch Live: http://bit.ly/2eV6T4H

ABOUT PROVIDENCE

2016 Record: 13-15 (1-11 BIG EAST)
Series History: Xavier leads, 6-0

NOTABLES
• The Friars rank 10th in the BIG EAST in hitting percentage (.172), assists (10.99 a/s) and kills (11.72 k/s). Providence also ranks fourth in digs (15.31 d/s).
• Chicyia Clark ranks eighth in the conference in service aces (0.31 a/s). Michelle Cruz also ranks third in digs (4.65 d/s).
• Providence has dropped 11 of its last 12 matches including four straight. The Friars are also 1-3 at home this season.

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier leads the all-time series with Providence, 6-0.

LAST MEETING: Xavier 3, Providence 0 - Oct. 1, 2016 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
• Abbey Bessler led the Musketeers with a match-high nine kills. She also added nine digs.
• Sofia Peterson added eight kills, while Alexis Newsome and Kristen Massa both chipped in seven. Newsome also added a match-high .429 hitting percentage.
• Xavier had 3.5 more blocks (6.5-3.0) than Providence, led by Alexis Newsome who had four.
• Meredith Klare recorded a match-high 17 digs. Samantha Foti added nine to go along with two of the Musketeers four service aces.

THE MATCHUP VS CREIGHTON

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (14-11, 8-4) at CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS (18-6, 12-0)
Match Info: Sunday, Nov. 6 - 2 p.m. - D.J. Sokol Arena
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/2f1mqxA
Watch Live: http://bit.ly/2fvNxoW

ABOUT CREIGHTON

2016 Record: 18-6 (12-0 BIG EAST)
Series History: Xavier trails, 10-0

NOTABLES
• Creighton ranks third nationally in kills (14.71 k/s) and ninth in assists (13.49 a/s).
• All told, the Bluejays lead the BIG EAST in four statistical categories, while ranking second in three others.
• Lydia Dimke ranks 15th nationally in assists (11.37 a/s).
• Creighton has won 18 consecutive BIG EAST matches dating back to last season.
• The Bluejays are 6-1 at home this season and have posted a 21-4 record at D.J. Sokol Arena over the last two years.

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series, 10-0.

LAST MEETING: Creighton 3, Xavier 0 - Oct. 8, 2016 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
• Xavier opened its home schedule with a three set (18-25, 23-25, 15-25) loss to Creighton on Friday, Sept. 30.
• Abbey Bessler led the Musketeers with eight kills. The senior outside hitter was held without 10 or more kills for only the third time this season.
• Sofia Peterson and Kristen Massa both added seven kills. Brooke Betts and Lauren Frilling both chipped in four.
• Mackenzi Humm dished out a team-high 14 assists, while McKena Estes added 12. Meredith Klare also had a team-high 10 digs.
• Both teams had three total team blocks. Creighton posted a .337 hitting percentage, while Xavier was limited to a .186 attack percentage.

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS

• Redshirt-junior setter Mackenzi Humm was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday for her on-court performance last week. She helped the Musketeers win their third straight match with a five-set win over Butler on Oct. 27.

The Crystal Lake, Ill., native posted a season-high 42 assists to go along with 16 digs for her fourth double-double of the year. She also added two kills.

Humm leads the Musketeers in assists (6.01 a/s), while adding 1.74 digs per set.

BIG EAST Weekly Award Winners

Name	Award	Week
Mackenzi Humm	Honor Roll	Oct. 27
Abbey Bessler	Honor Roll	Oct. 25
Sofia Peterson	Honor Roll	Oct. 17
Sofia Peterson	Honor Roll	Oct. 10
Abbey Bessler	Honor Roll	Sept. 26
Abbey Bessler	Player of the Week	Aug. 29

NOTABLES

• Xavier is 6-1 in its last seven matches. Sofia Peterson hit .459 during that stretch, while adding 3.14 kills per set.

• The Musketeers have recorded 10 more service aces (34-24) than their opponents over their last seven matches. Samantha Foti led Xavier with 13 during that span.

• Mackenzi Humm has added 6.21 assist per set over Xavier's last seven matches, while Meredith Klare has chipped in 4.14 digs per set.

• Xavier has posted 48.5 more total blocks (217.5-169) thank its opponents this season.

BIG EAST STATS: XU TOP-FIVE

Hitting Percentage

1.	Creighton	.266
2.	Marquette	.260
3.	Villanova	.251
4.	Xavier	.243

Assists (a/s)

1.	Creighton	13.49
2.	Villanova	13.15
3.	Butler	12.83
4.	Xavier	12.70

Kills (k/s)

1.	Creighton	14.71
2.	Villanova	14.14
3.	Xavier	13.91

Blocks (b/s)

1.	St. John's	2.88
2.	Marquette	2.50
3.	Creighton	2.30
4.	Butler	2.28
5.	Xavier	2.24

Individual Hitting Percentage

1.	Jasmine King, DePaul	.391
2.	Sofia Peterson, XU	.367

Individual Kills (k/s)

1.	Anna Logan, Butler	4.45
2.	Taylor Louis, Marquette	4.38
3.	Allie Loitz, Villanova	3.76
4.	Abbey Bessler, XU	3.74

Individual Service Aces (a/s)

1.	Allie Loitz, Villanova	0.40
2.	Megan Ballenger, Creighton	0.38
3.	Samantha Foti, XU	0.32

Individual Blocks (b/s)

1.	Danisha Moss, St. John's	1.42
2.	Jenna Rosenthal, Marquette	1.30
3.	*Alexis Newsome, XU*	*1.16*

Individual Points (p/s)

1.	Anna Logan, Butler	5.05
2.	Taylor Lewis, Marquette	4.94
3.	Allie Loitz, Villanova	4.47
4.	Brittany Maxwell, DePaul	4.29
5.	*Abbey Bessler, XU*	*4.09*

NCAA STATS

• Xavier ranks 16th in team kills (1,349) and 27th in team assists (1,232).

• Individually, Alexis Newsome ranks 48th in total blocks (110), Samantha Foti ranks 86th in service aces (31) and Abbey Bessler ranks 52nd in total kills (355).

CAREER RECORD WATCH: BESSLER

KILLS

Rank	Kills	Name	Years
1.	1,779	Sally Schulte	1993-96
2.	1,664	Abbey Bessler	2013-pres.

ATTACK ATTEMPTS

Rank	AA	Name	Years
1.	4,804	Abbey Bessler	2013-pres.

POINTS

Rank	Points	Name	Years
1.	1,880	Abbey Bessler	2013-pres.

DIGS

Rank	Points	Name	Years
5.	1,338	Sally Schulte	1993-96
6.	1,324	Abbey Bessler	2013-pres.

PRESEASON POLL

• The Musketeers were picked to finish third in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll as announced by the conference office on Aug. 3. The preseason poll and All-BIG EAST selections were voted on by the conference's 10 head coaches.

PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST

• Three Musketeers were selected to the All-BIG EAST Preseason Team in Abbey Bessler, Kristen Massa and Sofia Peterson. Xavier and Creighton were the only two teams with three players each on the preseason team.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• The Musketeers posted an 18-12 overall record last year, the team's 18th straight year with a .500 or above record.

• Xavier has posted a 46-18 record in BIG EAST play since joining the conference in 2013. The Musketeers have advanced to the conference tournament in all three seasons.

• Xavier players have earned AVCA All-American honors eight times in the last 11 years. Aubree Smith earned the honors last season, while Abbey Bessler picked up the recognition in 2013.