Volleyball travels to Nashville to take on LUV Invitational

Friday, September 13

Nashville, TN

7:30 p.m.

Xavier University

Lipscomb University

Photo by: Rooted Media House

Volleyball travels to Nashville to take on LUV Invitational

09.13.19 | Volleyball

Xavier to play Lipscomb and either Louisville or Purdue this weekend

By: By Mark Leopold, Xavier Athletics Communications

NASHVILLE, TN – Volleyball travels to Nashville to take on the LUV Invitational with Louisville, Purdue and hosts Lipscomb. Xavier will try to avenge last year's difficult record at the Stacey Clark Classic, as the Musketeers get their shot at revenge by facing two opponents that they lost to a year ago.

THE MATCHUP VS LIPSCOMB

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (3-3) vs LIPSCOMB BISONS (2-4)
Match Info - Saturday, Sep. 13 - 7:30 p.m. ET - Allen Arena
Watch - ESPN+
Live Stats - http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=266165

ABOUT LIPSCOMB

2019 Record: 2-4 (0-0 ASUN)
2018 Postseason: Semifinals ASUN Tournament
Series History: 3-2
Last Meeting : XU 0, LIP 3 - 9/8/2018

LIPSCOMB AT A GLANCE
• Lipsomb began the 2019 by dropping 11-straight sets before finally winning Set 3 against Georgia Tech in the fourth match of the season. After eventually falling to the Yellow Jackets, the Bisons rallied to win their latest two matches against IUPUI (3-2) and Belmont (3-1).
• The Bisons are paced by sophomore OH Lanie Wagner. She has amassed 70 kills so far this season, good for 3.18 kills per set. Garrett Joiner is a capable compliment to Wagner, as she has 50 kills (2.27 per set).
• Lipscomb was picked to finish 3rd (out of 9) in the ASUN Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Brandon Rosenthal enters his 17th season as the head coach of the Lipscomb volleyball. In his tenure, he has led the Bison to seven NCAA Tournament appearances, six ASUN Tournament Championship victories and coached eight ASUN Players of the Year.

THE MATCHUP VS LOUISVILLE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (3-3) vs LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (5-1)
Match Info - Saturday, Sep. 14 - 3:30 p.m. ET - Allen Arena
Live Stats - http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=266166

ABOUT LOUISVILLE

2019 Record: 5-1 (0-0 ACC)
2018 Postseason: NCAA Tournament Second Round
Series History: Louisville leads 16-1
Series History: XU 0, LOU 3 - 9/7/2018

LOUISVILLE AT A GLANCE
• After dropping their regular-season opener to Florida, Lousiville has one their last five matches including a five-set victory over Texas A&M and a Fleur De Lis Tournament Championship.
• Freshman Aiko Jones (62) and Senior Melanie McHenry (61) lead the Cardinals in kills. Shannon Shields averages a steady 6.39 assists per game as the team's primary setter. Defensively, Libero Alexis Hamilton takes charge with 76 digs so far this season.
• Louisville was picked to finish 3rd (out of 15) in the ACC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Dani Busboom Kelly is beginning her third season as heach coach of the Cardinals. In her tenure, she has accumulated a record of 51-17, and she earned the 2017 AVCA East Region Coach of the Year in her first season.

THE MATCHUP VS PURDUE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (3-3) vs PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (2-1)
Match Info - Saturday, Sep. 14 - 3:30 p.m. ET - Allen Arena
Live Stats - http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=266166

ABOUT PURDUE

2019 Record: 2-1 (0-0 Big Ten)
2018 Postseason: NCAA Tournament Second Round
Series History: Purdue leads 4-0
Last Meeting: XU 1, PUR 3 - 9/7/2018

PURDUE AT A GLANCE
• Purdue is about to play their first tournament of 2019, having played three individual games to start their season. After beating Ohio and Ball State at home, tehy traveled to West Lafayette , Indiana, and lost a tough five-set match to Notre Dame on September 6.
• Setter Hayley Bush is off to an incredible start, as she has tallied 121 assists in Purdue's first three matches, good for 10.08 assists per set. Caitlyn Newton and Grace Cleveland are the main beneficiaries, feast on a combined 84 kills early on.
• The Boilermakers were picked to finish 6th (out of 14) in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Purdue is led by head coach Dave Shondell, who enters his 17th season in the position. Shondell has taken Purdue to 13 NCAA Tournament berths in the last 16 years, including seven Sweet 16 appearances, and two Elite Eight appearances in 2010 and 2013.

FIRST SERVE

• Xavier enters this weekend with a 3-3 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.

• Two Musketeers won awards last week, as Lauren Hanlon and Ellie Chaffee were name to the All-Tournament team. Additionally, Hanlon was named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week. This week, Moriah Hopkins was named to the All-Tournament team and Jayda Carlton was listed on the BIG EAST Honor Roll.

• Up next, the Musketeers will return to Cintas Center to close out non-conference action against rivals Cincinnati on September 19 and Bowling Green on September 20.

• Xavier will begin conference play on the road at DePaul on September 25, before hosting Marquette on October 2.

2019 OPPONENT BREAKDOWN

• Xavier will play at least two teams that finished the year ranked in the AVCA Coaches' Poll: No. 13 Creighton, No. 15 Marquette and maybe No. 17 Purdue.

• The Musketeers take on five teams that participated in the 2018 NCAA Tournament (Eastern Michigan, Cincinnati, Marquette, Creighton, and either Louisville or Purdue). 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 Big Ten or ACC.

• The Musketeers will face three teams for the first time in program history this fall: Utah State, Southern Utah and William & Mary.

2019 TEAM LEADERS

• Freshman Alyssa Overbeck and MaryAnn O'Toole lead the team in digs so far this season with a combined 183 digs of the team's 341.

• Sophomore Jayda Carlton is the Musketeers' block leader, as she's tallied 28 blocks (1.22 block per set) in six matches. She also has three of Xavier's four solo blocks.

• Ellie Chaffee has the best hitting percentage for Xavier (.355). The middle blocker has 46 kills which adds up to 2.00 kills per set.

• While kills are evenly dispersed throughout Xavier's balanced attack, Redshirt Freshman Lauren Hanlon leads the way with 65 put-aways (2.95 kills per set). Behind her, Norah Painter and Moriah Hopkins chip in with 60 kills and 56 kills respectively.

BIG EAST NOTES

• Xavier opens BIG EAST play on Sept. 25 at DePaul followed by a home match against Marquette on Oct. 2. The Musketeers close conference action at Butler on Nov. 23.

• Xavier has posted a 67-39 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.

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.

UP NEXT

• The Musketeers will return to Cintas Center to close out non-conference action against rivals Cincinnati on September 19 and Bowling Green on September 20.