BIG EAST Action Continues Against Villanova, Georgetown

Friday, October 5

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Villanova

BIG EAST Action Continues Against Villanova, Georgetown

10.04.18 | Volleyball

Notes (PDF)

Xavier volleyball will play both matches at Cintas Center over the weekend

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier volleyball continues BIG EAST action on Oct. 5-6 against Villanova and Georgetown at Cintas Center. The Musketeers (4-12, 2-3 BIG EAST) take on the Wildcats (10-7, 3-2 BIG EAST) on Friday at 7 p.m. and the Hoyas (10-7, 3-2 BIG EAST) on Saturday at 6 p.m.

THE MATCHUP VS VILLANOVA

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (4-12, 2-3) vs VILLANOVA WILDCATS (10-7, 3-2)
Match Info - Friday, Oct. 5 - 7 p.m. ET - Cintas Center
Live Video (BEDN) - bit.ly/2yib2YO
Live Stats - bit.ly/2BQZu3r

ABOUT VILLANOVA

2018 Record: 10-7 (3-2 BIG EAST)
2017 Postseason: None
Series History: Xavier leads, 7-4
Last Meeting: XU 3, VU 1 - 10/28/17

NOTABLES
• Villanova was picked to finish fourth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll after posting an 18-12 (11-8 BIG EAST) last year. Senior middle blocker Amanda Pedersen-Henry was named to the preseason all-conference team.
• Villanova leads the BIG EAST in digs (17.92 d/s), while ranking third in hitting percentage (.225), opponent hitting percentage (.192), assists (12.35 a/s), kills (13.11 k/s) and blocks (1.97 b/s).
• Junior Regan Lough leads the conference in digs per set (5.52 d/s), while ranking 13th nationally. As a team, the Wildcats rank 11th in the NCAA in digs per set (17.92 d/s).

SERIES HISTORY - VILLANOVA

• Xavier leads the all-time series, 7-4, and has won two of the three meetings. The two squads split the series last year with the home team winning each match.

• Morgan Finn had 16 kills in the series last year to go along with a .306 hitting percentage and three blocks. Laura Grossman posted 3.00 kills per set and hit .444 in the series.

• Meredith Klare has posted 3.89 digs per set over in seven career matches against the Wildcats. McKena Estes has added 5.77 assists per set in seven career matches.

THE MATCHUP VS GEORGETOWN

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (4-12, 2-3) vs GEORGETOWN HOYAS (10-7, 3-2)
Match Info - Saturday, Oct. 6 - 6 p.m. ET - Cintas Center
Live Stats - bit.ly/2BQZu3r

ABOUT GEORGETOWN

2018 Record: 10-7 (3-2 BIG EAST)
2017 Postseason: None
Series History: Xavier leads, 11-0
Last Meeting: XU 3, GU 0 - 10/27/18

NOTABLES
• Georgetown was picked to finish eighth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll after recording an 8-22 (2-16 BIG EAST) last year. Senior middle blocker Symone Speech was named to the preseason all-conference team.
• The Hoyas lead the conference in aces (1.175 a/s), while ranking four in assists (12.13 a/s) and kills (13.04 k/s).
• Junior Iva Vujosevic leads the BIG EAST in aces (0.45 a/s),while ranking third in kills (3.64 k/s).

SERIES HISTORY - GEORGETOWN

• Xavier leads the all-time series against the Hoyas, 11-0. The Musketeers only dropped one set in the series last year.

• Morgan Finn led the Musketeers in kills versus the Hoyas last year, averaging 3.29 kills per set to go along with a .358 hitting percentage. Xavier had seven more aces (12-5) than Georgetown last year with McKena Estes and Meredith Klare both posting two aces.

• McKena Estes averaged 5.00 assists per set against the Hoyas last year, while Meredith Klare recorded 6.00 digs per set.

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier dropped a three set match (19-25, 14-25, 20-25) on Wednesday afternoon at No. 19 Marquette.

• Senior Laura Grossman led the team in kills with nine. The outside hitter added six digs.

• Audrey Adams posted six kills in nine attempts for a .667 hitting percentage. The middle blocker has posted a team-leading 2.78 kills per set over team's last three matches with a .686 hitting percentage.

ADAMS - WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

• Sophomore Audrey Adams was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Tuesday for her on-court performance last weekend. The middle blocker helped the Musketeers post a 1-1 record over the weekend.

• Adams led the Musketeers with 19 kills (3.17 k/s) to go along with a .692 hitting percentage. She added three blocks, one assist and one dig.

• The Indianapolis, Ind., native leads the conference in hitting percentage (.382), while ranking 28th nationally. She has also posted a conference-best .506 hitting percentage in BIG EAST only matches.

• Adams becomes the second player to earn the honors this season as Laura Grossman picked up the accolades on Aug. 28.

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 fourth 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 fifth 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.

KLARE - RECORD WATCH

• Senior Meredith Klare has 1,699 career digs to rank third all-time in program history. The libero is now 29 digs away from moving into second place with Beth Osterday (1996-99). 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 (3.96 d/s) this season. The libero led the BIG EAST in digs per set (4.37) last year and finished the year ranked 88th nationally in total digs.

• Morgan Finn posted 2.67 kills per set last weekend with a .279 hitting percentage. Meredith Klare led the team in digs last weekend, averaging 5.17 digs per set.

• Freshman Norah Painter ranks third on the team in kills (2.20 k/s), while ranking fourth in the conference among freshmen in the category. The outside hitter has added 12 blocks.

• Freshman Jayda Carlton leads the Musketeers in blocks with 53. The middle blocker is averaging 1.08 blocks per set to rank third in the BIG EAST.

• Audrey Adams leads the BIG EAST in hitting percentage (.382). She also ranks second on the team in kills (2.24 k/s).

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.

• Xavier will only play one non-conference match outside of tournament action. The Musketeers play host to rival Dayton on Monday, Nov. 5 at Cintas Center.

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 61-32 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 continues BIG EAST action at DePaul on Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. ET.