Xavier, Butler Set for Friday Night BIG EAST Matchup

Friday, November 2

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Butler

Xavier, Butler Set for Friday Night BIG EAST Matchup

10.31.18 | Volleyball

Live Stats Watch Live Notes (PDF)

First serve is slated 7 p.m. from Cintas Center

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier volleyball continues its homestand on Friday, Nov. 2 against Butler. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center.

THE MATCHUP VS BUTLER

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (8-16, 6-7) vs BUTLER BULLDOGS (8-17, 5-8)
Match Info - Friday, Nov. 2 - 7 p.m. ET - Cintas Center
Live Video - bit.ly/2yGq0bV
Live Stats - bit.ly/2BQZu3r

ABOUT BUTLER

2018 Record: 8-17 (5-8 BIG EAST)
2017 Postseason: None
Series History: Xavier leads, 18-14
Last Meeting: XU 3, BU 1 - 10/13/18

NOTABLES
• Butler leads the BIG EAST in blocks, averaging 2.93 blocks per set - just above the Musketeers who rank second (2.33 b/s). The Bulldogs also rank sixth nationally in the category.
• Senior Bri Lilly and and sophomore Melody Davidson rank first and second in the conference in blocking. Lilly averages 1.47 blocks per set, while Davidson averages 1.28 blocks per set. Lilly also ranks ninth nationally in blocks per set.
• The Bulldogs are 2-10 away from Hinkle Fieldhouse this season with a 2-6 mark in road matches. Butler is 1-2 in its last three matches and is coming off a four-set win over Seton Hall on Oct. 27.

SERIES HISTORY - BUTLER

• Xavier leads the all-time series, 18-14. The Musketeers are 3-2 in their last five matches against the Bulldogs.

LAST TIME OUT VS BUTLER

• Senior Laura Grossman posted a career-high 21 kills to go along with 24 digs in Xavier's four-set win (21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-18) at Butler on Oct. 13.

• Senior Morgan Finn added 12 kills with a .290 hitting percentage and three blocks. Freshman Norah Painter added 10 kills and two blocks.

• Sophomore Nadia Dieudonne had a team-high 26 assists to go along with 17 digs. Senior McKena Estes chipped in 18 assists, nine digs and three aces.

• Senior libero Meredith Klare posted her third career double-double, posting 17 digs and 10 assists. Xavier held an 8-4 advantage in aces, paced by freshman Ryan Shannon who had four. She added nine digs.

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS

• Senior Meredith Klare was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Tuesday for her on-court performance last week. She earns weekly honors for the second straight week and third time this season.

• The Union, Ky., native averaged 4.44 digs per set last week, totaling 40 digs over nine sets. She added nine assists. Klare had 18 digs against Seton Hall on Friday and 22 digs versus St. John's on Saturday.

KLARE - RECORD WATCH

• Senior Meredith Klare has 1,874 career digs to rank second all-time in program history. Stephanie Vorherr (2009-12) holds the program record with 2,152 digs.

• The Union, Ky., native posted 520 digs a year ago, the fourth most in single-season school history.

NOTABLES

• Senior Meredith Klare leads the team in digs (4.42 d/s) this season. In BIG EAST only matches, she ranks fourth in digs (4.87 d/s). The libero led the BIG EAST in digs per set (4.37) last year and finished the year ranked 88th nationally in total digs.

• Freshman Jayda Carlton leads the Musketeers in blocks with 97, while ranking 61st nationally overall and 11th among freshmen. The middle blocker is averaging 1.21 blocks per set to rank third in the BIG EAST. In conference only matches, she is averaging 1.44 blocks per set rank second in the BIG EAST.

• Audrey Adams ranks third in the BIG EAST in hitting percentage (.355), while ranking 59th nationally. The middle blocker has increased her hitting percentage to .381 in conference matches. She also ranks second on the team in kills (2.24 k/s).

• In BIG EAST only matches, Xavier ranks second in the conference in blocks per match (2.67) and digs per match (16.31).

• Xavier has posted double-figure kills in seven straight matches. All told, the Musketeers have eight matches with 10 or more kills this season.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

• Freshman Jayda Carlton posted a match-high 12 blocks against St. John's, tying the school record for single-match blocks. Alexis Newsome posted 12 blocks against St. John's last season on Oct. 7. The 12 blocks are also the most by a BIG EAST player this season, while ranking 12th in the NCAA.

• Xavier posted 11 more total team blocks (21-10) than the Red Storm. The 21 total team blocks are the second-most by a BIG EAST team this season, while ranking ninth in the NCAA.

• Freshman Mackenzie Mangette had five aces in the four-set win at Seton Hall. The five aces rank tied for second in single-match aces in the BIG EAST this season.

FIRST SERVE

• Xavier played its first eight matches on the road. The Musketeers traveled to the Puerto Rico Clásico on Aug. 31-Sept. 2 and the Purdue Tournament on Sept. 7-8.

• The Musketeers hosted their own tournament at Cintas Center on Sept. 14-15. Xavier faced Indiana, Eastern Kentucky and crosstown rival Cincinnati during tournament action.

OPPONENT BREAKDOWN

• Xavier will play three teams that finished the year ranked in the AVCA Coaches' Poll: No. 16 Creighton, No. 18 Purdue and No. 20 Missouri.

• The Musketeers take on five teams that participated in the 2017 NCAA Tournament (Missouri, Purdue, Louisville, Creighton and Marquette). Twelve of the Musketeers 21 opponents posted a winning record last year.

• The Musketeers' 21 opponents combined to post a 351-292 last season with a .546 winning percentage. Xavier's opponents averaged 16.7 wins a year ago.

• Xavier will face teams from 11 different conferences this year, including teams from the Big Ten, ACC, PAC-12 and Big 12.

• The Musketeers will face three teams for the first time in program history this fall: Oklahoma, Arizona State and Indiana. The meetings with Northern Illinois and Towson will only be the second meetings in school history.

ABOUT THE TEAM

• Xavier graduated five seniors in Lauren Frilling, Samantha Foti, Kristen Massa, Alexis Newsome and Mackenzi Humm.

• The Musketeers return nine letterwinners from last year, including six upperclassmen. Xavier will have five seniors on the team this fall.

• Xavier added six newcomers to the 2018 roster in Jayda Carlton, Ellie Chaffee, Kelly Franxman, Mackenzie Mangette, Norah Painter and Ryan Shannon.

• Xavier players have earned AVCA All-American honors nine times in the last 13 years. Abbey Bessler most recently earned AVCA All-American honorable mention team honors in 2016.

BIG EAST NOTES

• Xavier opened BIG EAST play on Sept. 21 at St. John's. Seven of Xavier's first 11 conference matches are on the road.

• Xavier has posted a 74-53 record in BIG EAST play since joining the conference in 2013. The Musketeers have advanced to the conference tournament in three of their four seasons in the BIG EAST.

• Creighton will host the 2018 BIG EAST Tournament after being held at Marquette in 2017.

NEW ASSISTANT COACHES

• Xavier added two new assistant coaches during the offseason in Katie Meyer and Ali Butcher. Meyer was named an assistant coach in January of 2018 after spending three seasons as an assistant coach at Ursuline College.

• Butcher was named a volunteer assistant coach in August of 2018. She previously worked at Elevation Volleyball Club for two years, serving as an assistant to the club directors while also working as a club coach.

PRESEASON POLL

• The Musketeers were picked to finish tied for sixth in the preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll. Xavier was tied with St. John's in sixth place, while Marquette was picked to win the conference title.

UP NEXT

• Xavier ends its home schedule on Nov. 9-11 at Cintas Center. The Musketeers take on DePaul on Friday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. and Marquette on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 12:30 p.m.