Xavier Takes on No. 24 Creighton and Providence This Weekend

CINCINNATI, OH - Xavier's seasons rolls on with rematches of No. 24 Creighton and Providence. Xavier opened BIG EAST play with a thrilling five-set reverse sweep of Providence in Cintas Center before falling to No.24 Creighton.

Xavier currently sits at 5-7 in conference, while Creighton is 10-2 and Providence is 3-9.

XAVIER SCHEDULE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (10-13) vs No. 24 CREIGHTON BLUE JAYS (23-3)
Match Info - Friday, November 5 - 7:30 p.m. ET - D.J. Sokol Arena
Live Stats - https://bit.ly/3CMWArG
Watch Live ($) - https://bit.ly/3mHQTWn

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (10-13) vs PROVIDENCE FRIARS (15-10)
Match Info - Sunday, November 7 - 1:00 p.m. ET - Alumni Hall
Live Stats - http://bit.ly/2Ep7zOp
Watch Live ($) - https://bit.ly/3ELUt88

ABOUT NO. 24 CREIGHTON

2021 (Fall) Record: 23-3 (10-2 BIG EAST)
2021 (Spring) Record: 12-4 (7-1 BIG EAST)
Series History: Creighton leads 20-0
Last Meeting: Xavier 0, Creighton 3 (September 25, 2021 - Cincinnati, OH)

NOTABLES
• In what will be their 21st meeting, Xavier looks to earn their first win against Creighton. They have come close a few times, most recently taking the Blue Jays to five sets in 2020 and 2018.
• Creighton is 23-3 this season, picking up notable wins against then-No. 3 Kentucky, Missouri, USC, and Illinois. Their only non-conference loss came on the road against No. 3 Nebraska. They are 10-2 in the BIG EAST including a season sweep of Marquette.
• Creighton was chosen as the Preseason favorite to win the BIG EAST by the conference coaches, garnering eight first place votes. Senior middle blocker Naomi Hickman and senior outside hitter Jaela Zimmerman were named to the Preseason ALL-BIG EAST team, too.
• Kirsten Bernthal Booth is in her 19th season as Creighton head coach, and has one of the best records in BIG EAST history. Booth has reached 10 of the last 11 NCAA Tournaments, including a 2016 run to the Elite Eight, Sweet Sixteen trips in 2015 and 2016 and seven-straight outright BIG EAST regular-season titles.

ABOUT PROVIDENCE

2021 (Fall) Record: 15-10 (3-9 BIG EAST)
2021 (Spring) Record: 7-3 (5-3 BIG EAST)
Series History: Xavier leads 13-1
Last Meeting: Xavier 3, Providence 1 (September 24, 2021 - Cincinnati, OH)

NOTABLES
• When the Friars meet Xavier on Friday, it will be the 15th meeting between the two programs. Xavier has won 13 of 14 matchups, with the only loss coming on the road in 2017.
• Providence was off to a hot start in fall of 2021, going 12-1 with the only blemish coming on the road against the Army Black Knights, but in conference they are 3-9.
• Coming off a 7-3 season last Spring, Providence was chosen to finish 8th in the BIG EAST preseason coaches' poll, and Setter Allison Barber was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST team.
•They are coached by Margot Royer-Johnson, who is in her 20th season as head of the program.

PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST HONORS

• Junior Carrigan O'Reilly was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team on Aug. 8.

• O'Reilly ranked second in the BIG EAST in assists per set (10.69) last season, while ranking 30th in the NCAA. The All-BIG EAST performer recorded 631 total assists to rank 73rd in the NCAA. She added 69 kills, seven aces, 146 digs and 29 blocks.

• The Westerville, Ohio, native also earned AVCA All-East Region Honorable Mention Team honors.

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Xavier has played all of their non-conference matches and competed in three tournaments. The Musketeers opened the season at the Charlotte Tournament on Aug. 27-28, taking on South Carolina State, Charlotte and Colorado. Then Xavier traveled to the Loyola Tournament on Sept. 3-4, taking on SIUE, Eastern Kentucky and Loyola. After facing Lipscomb and Louisville, the Musketeers went up against in-state foes Cincinnati, Miami and Dayton.

• The Musketeers hosted the Xavier Tournament on Sept. 10-11. Three of the four teams competing in the tournament participated in the NCAA Tournament last spring: Louisville, Purdue and Lipscomb. Purdue finished the year ranked No. 7 in the AVCA Top-25 Poll, while Louisville ranked 11th.

• Xavier took on crosstown rival Cincinnati on Sept. 16 at Fifth Third Arena. The two teams split the two-match series last year with the road team winning each match.

• The Musketeers played teams from 10 different conferences during non-conference action (ACC, MEAC, C-USA, Pac-12, OVC, A-SUN, MVC, MAC, AAC, A-10). Xavier faced two new opponents for the first time in program history in SIUE and Loyola.

• Xavier opened its 18-match BIG EAST schedule on Friday, Sept. 24 with a win against Providence.

• Xavier closes its BIG EAST schedule with back-to-back road matches at UConn (Nov. 19) and Butler (Nov. 21).

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

• The Musketeers posted a 7-7 (3-3 BIG EAST) record during the COVID-19 shortened spring 2021 season. Xavier had wins over rival Cincinnati, Big 12 member Kansas and AVCA Top-50 team UIC.

• Xavier returns AVCA All-East Region Team member, Carrigan O'Reilly. The junior setter picked up honorable mention team honors, becoming the first Musketeer to earn the honors since Sofia Peterson and Abbey Bessler in 2016.

• O'Reilly also earned All-BIG EAST honors. She averaged 10.71 assists per set, ranking second in the BIG EAST and 28th in the NCAA. She added 69 kills, 29 blocks, 146 digs and seven aces. The Westerville, Ohio, native had seven double-doubles and one triple-double.

• The Musketeers also return All-BIG EAST honoree and BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, Delaney Hogan. She was the first Musketeer to earn "Freshman of the Year" honors since Aubree Smith picked up the accolades in 2011 (Atlantic-10 Conference). She was also the first Xavier player to earn a major award from the BIG EAST since Abbey Bessler in 2015 (BIG EAST Player of the Year).

• Hogan led the BIG EAST in hitting percentage this season (.356), while ranking 100th in the NCAA. The middle blocker also led the Musketeers in total kills (131) and total blocks (45) this season. She averaged 2.38 k/s and 0.82 b/s and had 10 or more kills in eight matches.

• Xavier only graduated one player in Lauren Hanlon. All told, the Musketeers return 13 letterwinners and welcome four newcomers to the roster.

PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST HONOREES

Preseason BIG EAST Volleyball Player of the Year
Efrosini Alexakou, St. John's, Sr., OH

Preseason All-BIG EAST
(listed alphabetically by institution, then last name)

Melody Davidson, Butler, R-Sr., MB
Caylee Parker, Connecticut, Sr., OH
Naomi Hickman, Creighton, Sr., MB
Jaela Zimmerman, Creighton, Sr., OH^
Savannah Rennie, Marquette, Gr., MB^
Taylor Wolf, Marquette, Gr., RS/S^
Allison Barber, Providence, Gr., S
Efrosini Alexakou, St. John's, Sr., OH^
Rachele Rastelli, St. John's, Sr., RS
Tsvetelina Ilieva, Seton Hall, So. OH
Averi Salvador, Villanova, Gr., L/DS
Carrigan O'Reilly, Xavier, Jr., S/RS

^ denotes unanimous selection

PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

1.	Creighton	10-2
2.	Marquette	10-2
3.	UConn	9-3
4.	Butler	7-5
5.	DePaul	6-6
6.	Villanova	6-7
7.	Xavier	5-7
8.	St. John's	5-7
9.	Seton Hall	4-8
10.	Providence	3-9
11.	Georgetown	2-11

First-place votes in ()

UP NEXT

• Xavier will prepare for Senior Day as they host Marquette and DePaul in their last home matches of the season.

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