Xavier University Athletics
Friday, October 18
Providence, R.I.
6 p.m.
Xavier University
at
Providence
Photo by: Rooted Media House
Volleyball Looks to Improve Upon Stellar Road Record This Weekend
10.17.19 | Volleyball
Xavier set to play Providence on Friday and Creighton on Sunday
PROVIDENCE, RI – Xavier (3-3 BIG EAST) touched down in Providence for a match against the Friars (0-6 BIG EAST) on Friday at 6:00 pm ET. Following the match, the team will travel to Omaha to take on Creighton (6-0 BIG EAST) on Sunday at 2:00 pm ET.
Xavier has dominated Providence in their all-time series, having won 10 of 11 meetings. However, the BIG EAST powerhouse of Creighton has stymied the Musketeers, as Xavier has yet to record a victory against the Jays. Ever the fighters, in Xavier's last trip to Omaha, the Musketeers forced Creighton to beat them in five sets for the first time in the last 13 meetings.
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (6-10) vs PROVIDENCE FRIARS (5-14)
Match Info - Friday, Oct. 18 - 6:00 p.m. ET - Alumni Hall
Watch - bit.ly/XUvPC19
Live Stats - bit.ly/XUPCStats
2019 Record: 5-14 (0-6 BIG EAST)
2018 Postseason: None
Series History: Xavier leads 10-1
Last Meeting : XU 3, PC, 1 - 10/20/2018
PROVIDENCE AT A GLANCE
• The Friars had doubters raising eyebrows at the start of 2019, winning two of their three non conference tournaments with a sturdy record of 5-4. However, a tough loss to Brown in five sets would become a turning point in their season, as they would lose their next nine matches. On an active 10-match losing streak, Providence has not one in over a month and is currently 0-6 in the BIG EAST. Having returned to Rhode Island after four-straight road matches, the Friars will look to right the ship.
• Despite the losing streak, the Friars don't lack in an intimidating attack. Jennifer Leitman ranks 6th in the BIG EAST in kills, Allison Barber ranks 5th in assists and Jenae Alderson ranks 4th in the conference in hitting percentage.
• Seton Hall was picked to finish 10th (out of 10) in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Long-time head coach Margot Royer-Johnson enters her 20th season as the leader of the Friars. While only posting one season during her tenure, 2017 was one of Providence's best years. They recorded 17 wins (the second-most since 1997), they won six BIG EAST matches (the most since they rejoined the conference in 2014), and they started the season 11-0 (the best start in program history).
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (6-10) vs CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS (13-3)
Match Info - Sunday, Oct. 20 - 2:00 p.m. ET - D.J. Sokol Arena
Watch - http://bit.ly/XUCUStream
2019 Record: 13-3 (6-0 BIG EAST)
2018 Postseason: NCAA Tournament Second Round
Series History: Creighton leads 15-0
Last Meeting : CU 3, XU 2 - 10/18/2018
CREIGHTON AT A GLANCE
• In a brutal non-conference schedule, Creighton finished 7-3 with all three losses coming to nationally ranked opponents. Among their marquee wins were No.12 Kentucky and No. 15 USC.
• Creighton is a potent team with tremendous depth, as they hold six different conference leaders. Among them is freshman sensation Keeley Davis, who leads the team in aces and kills, including 31 in her last match.
• St. John's was picked to finish second (out of 10) in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, and currently sit first with an unblemished conference record after knocking off Marquette.
• Kirsten Bernthal Booth returns for her 17th season at the helm of the Bluejays volleyball program. She is a three-time National Coach of the Year, and she won AVCA Regional Coach of the Year honors in three of the past four seasons. Booth has led Creighton to 346 wins and a .677 winning percentage, the best in program history by far.
• Xavier enters this weekend with a 6-10 record after picking up two four-set victories at the Utah State Tournament, beating the host and Eastern Michigan after falling to Southern Utah in their regular-season opener. At home, they knocked off William & Mary in between losses to Akron and eventual tournament champions Wright State. They started BIG EAST play with a five-set victory at DePaul and a five-set victory at Georgetown. At home, Xavier beat Seton Hall in three sets for their first sweep of 2019.
• Two Musketeers won awards on the first weekend of action, as Lauren Hanlon and Ellie Chaffee were name to the All-Tournament team. Additionally, Hanlon was named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week. In Week two, Moriah Hopkins was named to the All-Tournament team and Jayda Carlton was listed on the BIG EAST Honor Roll. The following week, Lauren Hanlon was named to the All-Tournament Team following her 24-kill performances in two matches at the LUV Invitational. Ellie Chaffee earned a spot on the BIG EAST Honor Roll in part due to her 10-kill, 9-block performance against Georgetown, and Jayda Carlton earned another BIG EAST Honor Roll mention for her blocking against Seton Hall and Marquette.
• After this weekend, Xavier will host Georgetown and Villanova for their second meetings of the season.
• Xavier plays two teams that finished the year ranked in the AVCA Coaches' Poll: No. 13 Creighton and No. 15 Marquette.
• The Musketeers take on five teams that participated in the 2018 NCAA Tournament (Eastern Michigan, Louisville, Cincinnati, Marquette and Creighton). Twelve of the Musketeers 20 opponents posted a winning record last year.
• The Musketeers' 20 opponents combined to post a 311-294 last season with a .514 winning percentage.
• Xavier will face teams from nine different conferences this year, including a team from the ACC.
• The Musketeers faced three teams for the first time in program history this fall: Utah State, Southern Utah and William & Mary.
• Xavier opened BIG EAST play on Sept. 25 at DePaul and won a tight five-set match. The Musketeers close conference action at Butler on Nov. 23.
• Xavier has posted a 69-42 record in BIG EAST play since joining the conference in 2013. The Musketeers have advanced to the conference tournament in three of their five seasons in the BIG EAST.
• Marquette will host the 2019 BIG EAST Tournament after it was held at Creighton a year ago.
• Xavier graduated five seniors in Morgan Finn, Meredith Klare, Laura Grossman, Olivia Hart and McKena Estes.
• The Musketeers return eighth letterwinners from last year, including two upperclassmen. Xavier will have one senior on the team this fall.
• Xavier added five newcomers to the 2019 roster in MaryAnn O'Toole, Carrigan O'Reilly, Alyssa Overbeck, Ailsa Watson and Hayley Heitmeyer.
• Xavier returns freshman outside hitter Norah Painter who ranked fourth on the team in total kills (178) last season. The Musketeers also return its leader in total blocks (107) in Jayda Carlton.
• After this weekend, Xavier will host Georgetown and Villanova for their second meetings of the season.
Xavier has dominated Providence in their all-time series, having won 10 of 11 meetings. However, the BIG EAST powerhouse of Creighton has stymied the Musketeers, as Xavier has yet to record a victory against the Jays. Ever the fighters, in Xavier's last trip to Omaha, the Musketeers forced Creighton to beat them in five sets for the first time in the last 13 meetings.
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THE MATCHUP VS PROVIDENCE |
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (6-10) vs PROVIDENCE FRIARS (5-14)
Match Info - Friday, Oct. 18 - 6:00 p.m. ET - Alumni Hall
Watch - bit.ly/XUvPC19
Live Stats - bit.ly/XUPCStats
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ABOUT PROVIDENCE |
2019 Record: 5-14 (0-6 BIG EAST)
2018 Postseason: None
Series History: Xavier leads 10-1
Last Meeting : XU 3, PC, 1 - 10/20/2018
PROVIDENCE AT A GLANCE
• The Friars had doubters raising eyebrows at the start of 2019, winning two of their three non conference tournaments with a sturdy record of 5-4. However, a tough loss to Brown in five sets would become a turning point in their season, as they would lose their next nine matches. On an active 10-match losing streak, Providence has not one in over a month and is currently 0-6 in the BIG EAST. Having returned to Rhode Island after four-straight road matches, the Friars will look to right the ship.
• Despite the losing streak, the Friars don't lack in an intimidating attack. Jennifer Leitman ranks 6th in the BIG EAST in kills, Allison Barber ranks 5th in assists and Jenae Alderson ranks 4th in the conference in hitting percentage.
• Seton Hall was picked to finish 10th (out of 10) in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Long-time head coach Margot Royer-Johnson enters her 20th season as the leader of the Friars. While only posting one season during her tenure, 2017 was one of Providence's best years. They recorded 17 wins (the second-most since 1997), they won six BIG EAST matches (the most since they rejoined the conference in 2014), and they started the season 11-0 (the best start in program history).
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THE MATCHUP VS CREIGHTON |
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (6-10) vs CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS (13-3)
Match Info - Sunday, Oct. 20 - 2:00 p.m. ET - D.J. Sokol Arena
Watch - http://bit.ly/XUCUStream
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ABOUT CREIGHTON |
2019 Record: 13-3 (6-0 BIG EAST)
2018 Postseason: NCAA Tournament Second Round
Series History: Creighton leads 15-0
Last Meeting : CU 3, XU 2 - 10/18/2018
CREIGHTON AT A GLANCE
• In a brutal non-conference schedule, Creighton finished 7-3 with all three losses coming to nationally ranked opponents. Among their marquee wins were No.12 Kentucky and No. 15 USC.
• Creighton is a potent team with tremendous depth, as they hold six different conference leaders. Among them is freshman sensation Keeley Davis, who leads the team in aces and kills, including 31 in her last match.
• St. John's was picked to finish second (out of 10) in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, and currently sit first with an unblemished conference record after knocking off Marquette.
• Kirsten Bernthal Booth returns for her 17th season at the helm of the Bluejays volleyball program. She is a three-time National Coach of the Year, and she won AVCA Regional Coach of the Year honors in three of the past four seasons. Booth has led Creighton to 346 wins and a .677 winning percentage, the best in program history by far.
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FIRST SERVE |
• Xavier enters this weekend with a 6-10 record after picking up two four-set victories at the Utah State Tournament, beating the host and Eastern Michigan after falling to Southern Utah in their regular-season opener. At home, they knocked off William & Mary in between losses to Akron and eventual tournament champions Wright State. They started BIG EAST play with a five-set victory at DePaul and a five-set victory at Georgetown. At home, Xavier beat Seton Hall in three sets for their first sweep of 2019.
• Two Musketeers won awards on the first weekend of action, as Lauren Hanlon and Ellie Chaffee were name to the All-Tournament team. Additionally, Hanlon was named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week. In Week two, Moriah Hopkins was named to the All-Tournament team and Jayda Carlton was listed on the BIG EAST Honor Roll. The following week, Lauren Hanlon was named to the All-Tournament Team following her 24-kill performances in two matches at the LUV Invitational. Ellie Chaffee earned a spot on the BIG EAST Honor Roll in part due to her 10-kill, 9-block performance against Georgetown, and Jayda Carlton earned another BIG EAST Honor Roll mention for her blocking against Seton Hall and Marquette.
• After this weekend, Xavier will host Georgetown and Villanova for their second meetings of the season.
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2019 OPPONENT BREAKDOWN |
• Xavier plays two teams that finished the year ranked in the AVCA Coaches' Poll: No. 13 Creighton and No. 15 Marquette.
• The Musketeers take on five teams that participated in the 2018 NCAA Tournament (Eastern Michigan, Louisville, Cincinnati, Marquette and Creighton). Twelve of the Musketeers 20 opponents posted a winning record last year.
• The Musketeers' 20 opponents combined to post a 311-294 last season with a .514 winning percentage.
• Xavier will face teams from nine different conferences this year, including a team from the ACC.
• The Musketeers faced three teams for the first time in program history this fall: Utah State, Southern Utah and William & Mary.
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2019 TEAM LEADERS |
• Freshmen Alyssa Overbeck and MaryAnn O'Toole and Senior Madi Kutruff lead the team in digs so far this season with a combined 635 digs of the team's 919.
• Sophomore Jayda Carlton is the BIG EAST block leader, as she's tallied 75 blocks (1.25 block per set) in 16 matches.
• While kills are evenly dispersed throughout Xavier's balanced attack, Redshirt Freshman Lauren Hanlon leads the way with 154 put-aways (2.61 kills per set). Behind her, Moriah Hopkins and Norah Painter chip in with 134 kills and 110 kills respectively.
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BIG EAST NOTES |
• Xavier opened BIG EAST play on Sept. 25 at DePaul and won a tight five-set match. The Musketeers close conference action at Butler on Nov. 23.
• Xavier has posted a 69-42 record in BIG EAST play since joining the conference in 2013. The Musketeers have advanced to the conference tournament in three of their five seasons in the BIG EAST.
• Marquette will host the 2019 BIG EAST Tournament after it was held at Creighton a year ago.
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ABOUT THE TEAM |
• Xavier graduated five seniors in Morgan Finn, Meredith Klare, Laura Grossman, Olivia Hart and McKena Estes.
• The Musketeers return eighth letterwinners from last year, including two upperclassmen. Xavier will have one senior on the team this fall.
• Xavier added five newcomers to the 2019 roster in MaryAnn O'Toole, Carrigan O'Reilly, Alyssa Overbeck, Ailsa Watson and Hayley Heitmeyer.
• Xavier returns freshman outside hitter Norah Painter who ranked fourth on the team in total kills (178) last season. The Musketeers also return its leader in total blocks (107) in Jayda Carlton.
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UP NEXT |
• After this weekend, Xavier will host Georgetown and Villanova for their second meetings of the season.
Players Mentioned
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