Volleyball hosts Xavier University Tournament This Weekend

Friday, September 6

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Akron

Volleyball hosts Xavier University Tournament This Weekend

09.05.19 | Volleyball

Musketeers to face Akron, William & Mary and Wright State at Cintas Center

By: Mark Leopold, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI, Ohio – Volleyball will hold the 2019 edition of the Xavier University Tournament this weekend. Xavier's home opener is set for 7:00 pm ET, Friday, September 6, against Akron from Cintas Center. Following the match, the team will play a double-header on Saturday, September 7. First serve against William & Mary is set for 11:00 am ET and the match against Wright State will start at 7:00 pm ET.

THE MATCHUP VS AKRON

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (2-1) vs AKRON ZIPS (1-2)
Match Info - Friday, Sep. 6 - 7:00 p.m. ET - Cintas Center
Watch - http://bit.ly/XUTStream
Live Stats - http://bit.ly/XUTStats

ABOUT AKRON

2019 Record: 1-2 (0-0 MAC)
2018 Postseason: None
Series History: 11-4
Last Meeting : XU 3, UA 2 - 9/7/1996

AKRON AT A GLANCE
• Akron opened the regular season with a 1-2 record at the Florida Golf Coast University Tournament. After falling to San Diego State and FGCU, the Zips bounced back to beat Bryant in four sets.
• Akron has a balance of experience with a roster of eight underclassmen and seven upperclassmen including three freshman and two seniors.
• The Zips were picked to finish 6th (out of 6) in the MAC East Division Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Akron is coached by Tom Hanna. He holds a 33-79 record as head coach, including leading the team to the most wins in a season since 2012 with 11 victories last year.

THE MATCHUP VS WILLIAM & MARY

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (2-1) vs WILLIAM & MARY TRIBE (1-1)
Match Info - Saturday, Sep. 7 - 11:00 a.m. ET - Cintas Center
Watch - http://bit.ly/XUTStream
Live Stats - http://bit.ly/XUTStats

ABOUT WILLIAM & MARY

2019 Record: 1-1 (0-0 CAA)
2018 Postseason: None
Series History: First Meeting

W&M AT A GLANCE
• William & Mary began their season with a trip to Baltimore to compete in the Morgan State Tournament. There, they split the competition by knocking off Quinnipiac in five sets before stumbling against the hosts in five sets.
• The Tribe are very young in 2019, with only three upperclassmen and a lone senior in Autumn Brenner. The team brought in six freshman, including Anna Porter and Gabi Ganley, who saw action in both of W&M's matches.
• William & Mary was picked to finish 9th (out of 9) in the CAA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• The Tribe is led by second-year head coach Tim Doyle. In his first season at William & Mary, the team went 5-20 with every win coming on a home or a neutral floor.

THE MATCHUP VS WRIGHT STATE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (2-1) vs WRIGHT STATE RAIDERS (2-1)
Match Info - Saturday, Sep. 7 - 7:00 p.m. ET - Cintas Center
Watch - http://bit.ly/XUTStream
Live Stats - http://bit.ly/XUTStats

ABOUT WRIGHT STATE

2019 Record: 2-1 (0-0 Horizon)
2018 Postseason: Horizon League Tournament First Round
Series History: WSU leads 25-10
Last Meeting: XU 3, WSU 0 - 9/20/11

WSU AT A GLANCE
• Wright State started their season off strong with a 2-1 performance at the Golden Dome Invitational hosted by Notre Dame. After losing the opener to Bowling Green, the Raiders took down the hosts in five sets before beating La Salle in four sets.
• After the performance, the Raiders had two Horizon League honorees as Teddie Sauer won Offensive Player of the Week and Jenna Story won Defensive Player of the Week.
• Wright State was picked to finish 6th (out of 9) in the Horizon League Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Allie Matters enters her second year as head coach of WSU. Before taking the job with the Raiders, Matters was an assistant coach with familiar Big East opponent, Seton Hall.

FIRST SERVE

• Xavier enters this weekend with a 2-1 record after picking up two four-set victories at the Utah State Tournament, beating the host (25-21, 25-17, 16-25, 25-22) and Eastern Michigan (25-12, 25-20, 29-31, 25-22) after falling to Southern Utah in their regular-season opener (26-28, 19-25, 22-25).

• Two Musketeers won awards this 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.

• Up next, the Musketeers will compete at the Lipscomb Tournament in Nashville, Tenn., on Sept. 13-14. There, Xavier takes on the host Bisons and either Purdue or Louisville during tournament action.

• 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 three teams that finished the year ranked in the AVCA Coaches' Poll: No. 13 Creighton, No. 15 Marquette and No. 17 Purdue.

• The Musketeers take on six teams that participated in the 2018 NCAA Tournament (Eastern Michigan, Louisville, Purdue, Cincinnati, Marquette, 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 teams from the Big Ten and ACC.

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

2018 TEAM LEADERS

• Senior Meredith Klare led the team with 470 digs (4.48 d/s) last season. In BIG EAST only matches, she tallied 330 digs (4.85 d/s).

• Freshman Jayda Carlton led the Musketeers in blocks with 107, including 72 in BIG EAST only matches. The middle blocker averaged 1.18 blocks per set, and, in conference only matches, she averaged 1.33 blocks per set.

• Audrey Adams had the best hitting percentage for Xavier (.343). The middle blocker also owned a .358 hitting percentage in conference matches to lead the team by a wide margin. Additionally, she ranked second on the team in kills (2.32 k/s).

• Laura Grossman was the Musketeers' leader in kills last season, posting 297 kills (2.86 k/s) overall and 181 kills (2.70 k/s) in BIG EAST only matches. She was also the leading points-getter with 345.5 points (3.32 pts/s) throughout the season and 212 (3.16 pts/s) in conference matches.

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 compete at the Lipscomb Tournament in Nashville, Tenn., on Sept. 13-14. There, Xavier takes on the host Bisons and either Purdue or Louisville during tournament action.