Musketeers Continue BIG EAST Action at Villanova, Georgetown

Friday, September 29

Villanova, Pa.

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Villanova

Musketeers Continue BIG EAST Action at Villanova, Georgetown

09.28.17 | Volleyball

Xavier volleyball opens the weekend against the Wildcats on Friday

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier volleyball hits the road for back-to-back BIG EAST matches on Sept. 29-30. The Musketeers take on Villanova on Friday at 7 p.m. and Georgetown on Saturday at 6 p.m.

THE MATCHUP VS VILLANOVA

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (6-10, 1-2) at VILLANOVA WILDCATS (7-6, 0-2)
Match Info - Friday, Sept. 29 - 7 p.m. - Jake Nevin Field House
Live Stats - bit.ly/2xEAreh
Live Video ($) - bit.ly/2xA4zde

ABOUT VILLANOVA

2017 Record: 7-6 (0-2 BIG EAST)
2016 Postseason: None
Series History: Xavier leads, 6-3

NOTABLES
• Villanova opened up its BIG EAST schedule with road losses at Providence and No. 15 Creighton.
• Regan Lough earned a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll after leading Villanova in digs. She posted 36 digs over two matches, including a match-high 21 digs against Creighton.
• The Wildcats rank fifth in the BIG EAST in assists (12.04) and kills (12.80). Allie Loitz ranks 10th in the conference in kills (3.23) and Emma Decker ranks third in assists (10.74).

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier leads the all-time series with Villanova, 6-3. The two teams spilt the season last year with the road team picking up the win in each match.

• Morgan Finn averaged 2.29 kills per set against the Wildcats last season, while posting a .378 hitting percentage. Meredith Klare averaged 5.25 digs per set in those matches to go along with a team-high four aces.

• Xavier had 11 more blocks (24-13) than Villanova in the series last year and had five more aces (11-6).

THE MATCHUP VS GEORGETOWN

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (6-10, 1-2) at GEORGETOWN HOYAS (6-8, 0-2)
Match Info - Saturday, Sept. 30 - 6 p.m. - McDonough Arena
Live Stats - bit.ly/2wZdUqC
Live Video - bit.ly/2xIj79W

ABOUT GEORGETOWN

2017 Record: 6-8 (0-2 BIG EAST)
2016 Postseason: No
Series History: Xavier leads, 9-0

NOTABLES
• Symone Speech leads the Hoyas offense with 3.56 kills per set and a .426 hitting percentage. She ranks first in the BIG EAST and 16th in the nation in hitting percentage.
• Defensively, Kenzie Higareda ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in digs (4.11 d/s).
• Georgetown ranks 10th in the BIG EAST in digs (12.49), blocks (1.42), assists (11.23) and opponent hitting percentage (.234).

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier leads the all-time series with Georgetown, 9-0. The Musketeers have only lost two sets against the Hoyas in the last four meetings.

• Xavier won both matches last season in three sets. The Musketeers hit .389 over the series and recorded 14 more blocks (17-3) and eight more aces (13-5).

• Morgan Finn hit .444 with 16 kills and three blocks, while Alexis Newsome chipped in five blocks and six kills. McKena Estes averaged 7.00 assists per set and Meredith Klare averaged 3.83 digs per set during the series.

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier dropped a four-set match (25-20, 22-25, 19-25, 13-25) to Marquette on Wednesday night.

• Maya Krause posted a season-high 14 kills to go along with a .565 hitting percentage. Morgan Finn was the only other player with 10 or more kills as the junior right-side hitter added a season-high 11 kills. Audrey Adams and Moriah Hopkins both chipped in seven kills.

• McKena Estes recorded her first double-double of the year, posting a team-high 20 assists to go along with 10 digs. Mackenzi Humm added 13 assists.

NOTABLES

• Xavier leads the BIG EAST in digs (16.10 d/s), while ranking 60th nationally. The Musketeers also rank third in blocks (2.36 b/s) in the conference, ranking 51st nationally in the statistical category.

• Meredith Klare ranks second in the conference in digs per set (4.28), while ranking 71st nationally in total digs (261).

• Alexis Newsome and Lauren Frilling both rank in the top-12 of the BIG EAST stats in blocks. Newsome ranks fourth (1.12 b/s), while Frilling ranks 12th (0.84 b/s). Newsome also ranks ninth in hitting percentage (.333).

• Senior Mackenzi Humm ranks 10th in school history in assists with 1,762. The setter has averaged 5.71 a/s this season.

• The Xavier volleyball program is four wins away from its 800th program victory. The Musketeers have posted a 796-605 record in 44 years of competition.

KLARE - XU RECORD BOOK

• Meredith Klare posted 16 digs against Marquette. The junior libero now has 1,222 digs in her career to rank ninth all-time at Xavier. She is 20 digs shy of moving into eighth place.

MASSA - CAREER MILESTONE

• Senior Kristen Massa eclipsed the 1,000-career kill mark in the Musketeers' 3-1 win over Albany on Saturday, Sept. 16. She now has 1,017 kills over her career as the outside hitter has averaged 2.59 k/s during her career.

PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST

• Senior Kristen Massa was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. Massa, a 2015 All-BIG EAST First Team selection, ranked third on the team in kills (292) last season, while adding 47 blocks and 63 digs. The Cincinnati native had 10 or more kills in 16 matches.

PRESEASON POLL

• The Musketeers were picked to finish fourth in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll as selected by conference head coaches. The Musketeers finished tied for second in the BIG EAST standings a year ago and advanced to the conference tournament championship match before being defeated by No. 21 Creighton.

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Xavier faces seven teams that participated in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. Seventeen of the Musketeers 23 opponents posted a winning record last year.

• The Musketeers' 23 opponents combined to post a 433-289 record last season with a .600 winning percentage. Xavier's opponents averaged 18.8 wins a year ago.

BIG EAST NOTES

• Xavier has posted a 52-21 record in BIG EAST play since joining the conference in 2013. The Musketeers have advanced to the conference tournament in all four seasons.

• The BIG EAST Tournament will be hosted by Marquette after being held at Butler in 2016.

ABOUT THE TEAM

• Xavier posted a 20-13 (13-5) record last season under head coach Christy Pfeffenberger. The 20-win campaign was the 21st in program history.

• The Musketeers overall record of 20-13 last year was the programs 19th consecutive season with a .500 or above record.

• Head coach Christy Pfeffenberger has posted a 44-35 overall record in two seasons with the Musketeers, including a 28-11 mark in BIG EAST play.

• Xavier players have earned AVCA All-American honors nine times in the last 12 years. Abbey Bessler earned AVCA All-American honorable mention team honors last year.

• The Musketeers graduated three seniors, including All-BIG EAST First Team selections Abbey Bessler and Sofia Peterson. Both players also earned AVCA East Region First-Team honors.

UP NEXT

• The Musketeers return to Cintas Center on Oct. 6-10 for three matches. Xavier takes on Seton Hall (Oct. 6) and St. John's (Oct. 7) next weekend in BIG EAST action before closing the homestand against rival Dayton on Oct. 10.