Musketeers Open Season with Five-Set Victory Over Missouri State

Friday, August 26

Champaign, Ill.

5:30 p.m.

Xavier University

1-0

Missouri State

0-1

Missouri State

Xavier

Musketeers Open Season with Five-Set Victory Over Missouri State

08.26.16 | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats (PDF)

Xavier posts come-from-behind win after trailing 2-0

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Xavier volleyball opened the season with a come-from-behind five set (18-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-17, 16-14) victory over Missouri State in the opening game of the Illini Classic.

The two-day tournament is being played at Huff Hall on the campus of the University of Illinois. Xavier returns to action against No. 14 Illinois at 10 a.m. CT.

MATCH NOTES

• Xavier moves to 22-12 in season openers dating back to the 1981 season. The Musketeers have now won five of their last six season openers, including three in a row.

• Three Musketeers recorded double-figure kills on the night in Sofia Peterson (17), Abbey Bessler (16) and Alexis Newsome (10). Kristen Massa added eight, while Morgan Finn chipped in six.

• Sofia Peterson also posted a team-high .400 hitting percentage. Her 17 kills also marked a career high.

• Abbey Bessler also added 14 digs for her 53rd career double-double. Mackenzi Humm posted her 12th career double-double with a team-high 26 assists to go along with 15 digs.

• Sophomore Meredith Klare posted a match-high 21 digs, her eighth career game with 20 or more digs.

• Xavier finished the match with a .247 hitting percentage, while limiting the Bears to a .179 clip. Missouri State had one more total block (5-4) than the Musketeers.

SET ONE

• Trailing 16-15 in the opening frame, Missouri State scored five straight points to take a lead they would never relinquish and force a Xavier timeout. Missouri State won the first set, 25-18.

• Meredith Klare had nine of her 21 digs in the first set, while Abbey Bessler had four kills.

SET TWO

• The Bears led by as many as six, 20-14, down the stretch before the Musketeers went on 6-1 run to get within one – forcing a Bear timeout. Missouri State had three kills down the stretch to hang on for the 25-23 victory. Missouri State never trailed in the second set.

• The Bears hit .250 in the second set, their highest set percentage on the night. Lily Johnson had five of her match-high 20 kills in the second set.

SET THREE

• Tied at 22, the Musketeers took advantage of a Bears' service error and got kills from Abbey Bessler and Sofia Peterson to post their first win of the night, 25-23.

• The third frame had 10 ties and two lead changes.

SET FOUR

• Xavier never trailed in the fourth set behind a .412 hitting percentage in the four set and 18 kills.

• Sofia Peterson hit .625 in the set with five kills. Abbey Bessler added four kills.

SET FIVE

• The final set had five ties with the final tie at 14-14. A kill by Abbey Bessler put the Musketeers up one before Alexis Newsome's 10th kill of the night sealed the victory.

• Sofia Peterson hit .800 in the frame with four kills.