Musketeers Play Host to Providence, No. 10 Creighton

Friday, September 28

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Providence

Musketeers Play Host to Providence, No. 10 Creighton

09.26.18 | Volleyball

Notes (PDF)

Xavier volleyball will play four of its next five matches at Cintas Center

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier volleyball plays host to Providence and No. 10 Creighton on Sept. 28-29 at Cintas Center. The Musketeers take on the Friars on Friday at 7 p.m. and the nationally ranked Bluejays on Saturday at 5 p.m.

Xavier will play four of its next five matches at Cintas Center after playing 11 of its first 13 matches on the road.

THE MATCHUP VS PROVIDENCE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (3-10, 1-1) vs PROVIDENCE FRIARS (7-6, 1-1)
Match Info - Friday, Sept. 28 - 7 p.m. - Cintas Center
Live Video (BEDN) - bit.ly/2zqGXrx
Live Stats - bit.ly/2BQZu3r

ABOUT PROVIDENCE

2018 Record: 7-6 (1-1 BIG EAST)
2017 Postseason: None
Series History: Xavier leads, 8-1
Last Meeting: XU 3, PC 1 - 11/12/18

NOTABLES
• Providence was picked to finish ninth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll after posting a 17-16 (6-12 BIG EAST) record last season.
• Senior middle blocker Allison Impellizeri ranks second in the conference in hitting percentage (.350), while ranking sixth in kills (3.38 k/s).
• Sophomore setter Allison Barber ranks second in the conference in assists (9.98 a/s).
• The Friars are 1-3 in their last four matches and are 0-2 away from home this season.

SERIES HISTORY - PROVIDENCE

• Xavier leads the all-time series with the Friars, 8-1. The two squads split the series a year ago with the home team winning each match.
• Laura Grossman led the Musketeers in the series last season, posting a team-high 31 kills (3.88 k/s) and 10 digs. The outside hitter also posted a .431 hitting percentage.
• Audrey Adams hit .457 in the series with 20 kills and two blocks. Meredith Klare added 3.50 digs per set, 11 assists and two aces.

THE MATCHUP VS CREIGHTON

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (3-10, 1-1) vs CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS (10-4, 2-0)
Match Info - Saturday, Sept. 29 - 5 p.m. - Cintas Center
Live Stats - bit.ly/2BQZu3r

ABOUT CREIGHTON

2018 Record: 10-4 (2-0 BIG EAST)
2018 Postseason: NCAA Tournament - Second Round
Series History: Xavier trails, 14-0
Last Meeting: CU 3, XU 0 - 11/11/17

NOTABLES
• The Bluejays were picked to finish second in th BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll behind Marquette. Creighton had three players (Taryn Kloth, Jaali Winters and Brittany Witt) on the preseason all-conference team.
• Creighton ranks second in the BIG EAST in hitting percentage (.245), while ranking 17th nationally. The Bluejays also ranks second in opponent hitting percentage (.187), kills (14.14 k/s), blocks (2.22 b/s) and assists (13.02 a/s).
• Taryn Kloth ranks second in the BIG EAST in kills (4.27 k/s), while Jaali Winters ranks third (3.76 k/s). Madelyn Cole leads the conference in assists, averaging 10.71 a/s.

SERIES HISTORY - CREIGHTON

• Xavier trails the all-time series with Creighton, 14-0. The Musketeers lost both matches in three sets last season.
• Laura Grossman led the Musketeers with 10 kills in the series, while Meredith Klare posted a team-high 4.33 digs per set.

LAST WEEK IN REVIEW

• Xavier went 1-1 in its BIG EAST opening weekend, defeating Seton Hall in four sets (Sept. 22) and falling at St. John's in five sets (Sept. 21).

• The Musketeers had 16 more total team blocks (28-16) than its opponents last weekend. Audrey Adams led the team in kills last weekend, averaging 2.89 kills per set. The middle blocker added a .375 hitting percentage and nine total blocks.

• 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.

• Freshman Norah Painter led Xavier with a match-high 16 kills at St. John's, the second most kills in a match by a BIG EAST freshman this season. She was one of three Xavier players with 10 or more kills as senior Laura Grossman and sophomore Audrey Adams both chipped in 13 kills.

• 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.

• 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.

KLARE - RECORD WATCH

• Senior Meredith Klare has 1,659 career digs to rank third all-time in program history. The libero is now 69 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 (3.87 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.

• Freshman Norah Painter ranks second on the team in kills (2.33 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 36. The middle blocker is averaging 1.14 blocks per set to rank third in the BIG EAST.

• Audrey Adams ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in hitting percentage (.324). She also ranks third on the team in kills (2.12 k/s).

• Xavier ranks third in the conference in blocks (2.09 b/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 60-30 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 on Wednesday, Oct. 3 at Marquette. First serve is slated for 12:30 p.m. ET.