Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
9-13
DePaul
11-13
Volleyball Earns Sixth BIG EAST Victory with Three Weeks Remaining
11.03.19 | Volleyball
Xavier drops Depaul in Four Sets to stay one game back of the BIG EAST Tournament
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 Highlights |
• Moriah Hopkins led the Musketeer attack with a team season-high and personal career-high 20 kills on 30 attacks for a .533 hitting percentage. Her total of 21 points is also a Xavier season-high, and all in only four sets of action.
• Freshman MaryAnn O'Toole had another big night, scoring on 12 kills, three blocks, and three aces. The first-year player's 16.5 points tonight is the most of her young career.
• Impressively, the entire team recorded at least two digs tonight, with senior libero Madi Kutruff leading the way with 24. Additionally setters Carrigan O'Reilly and Ailsa Watson combined for 52 of Xavier's 58 assists.
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  Summary |
• Neither team could wrest control early, as Depaul held a narrow 13-12 lead halfway through Set One. However, a sudden 3-0 run to make the four forced a Xavier timeout. The Musketeers clawed back to get within one on numerous occasions, but could never pull the score even. Then, tailing 20-22, Xavier buckled down with three kills and an ace as part of a 5-0 run to come back and take the first set.
• Xavier came out firing in Set Two, and after taking a quick 5-1 lead, DePaul had to burn a timeout to keep the match from getting away from them. The Blue Demons would battle back with a 4-0 run, but Xavier countered with a 3-0 run to regain control. After swapping points, DePaul had another 3-0 run, only for Xavier to again counter with a 4-1 run. With the lead as wide as five at 20-15, DePaul put a couple mini-runs together to tie the score at 22, but the Musketeers slammed the door with one final 3-0 run to take the second set.
• Facing a sweep, DePaul focused on accuracy and earned their first five points via the kill. Xavier hung with them, trusting their system and trying to force mistakes. However, DePaul saw their lead grow inch by inch, leading by as much as four before a 3-0 run put Xavier in position to tie the match once again at 19-19. DePaul, not ready to let another lead slip away, was able to hang on to avoid the sweep by winning set three 25-23.
• Set Four played out similarly to Set One, as neither team had an edge for the early portion. With the score 10-9 favoring DePaul, Xavier swing momentum with a 5-1 run to take a three-point lead that they would never relinquish. Though DePaul would break out a 4-0 run to tie the score at 17, Xavier immediately countered with an impressive 7-1 run to put the set away and ultimately take the match 25-19.
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 Up Next |
• The Musketeers will head east to face the team they trail by one, St. John's. The teams will square off from Queens, NY on Friday before Xavier heads to Seton Hall on Sunday.
