Xavier, DePaul Set for Saturday Matinee

Saturday, February 20

Chicago, Ill.

2 p.m.

Xavier University

DePaul

02.20.21 | Volleyball

Live Stats Watch Live

First serve is slated for 2 p.m. ET from McGrath-Phillips Arena

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier volleyball looks to sweep the weekend series at DePaul on Saturday, Feb. 20. First serve is slated for 2 p.m. ET from McGrath-Phillips Arena.

Xavier picked up a five-set win (19-25, 25-16, 23-25, 25-21, 15-12) vs DePaul on Friday night in the BIG EAST opener for both programs.

THE MATCHUP AT DEPAUL

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (3-3, 1-0) at DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS (0-3, 0-3)
Match Info - Saturday, Feb. 20 - 2 p.m. ET - McGrath-Phillips Arena (3,000)
Live Stats - bit.ly/2OJR6bb
Live Video - bit.ly/3qFLRZR

ABOUT DEPAUL

2021 Record: 0-3 (0-3 BIG EAST)
2019 Record: 14-16 (6-12 BIG EAST)
Series History: Xavier leads, 20-6
Last Meeting: Xavier 3, DePaul 2 (Feb. 19, 2021 - Chicago, Ill.)

NOTABLES
• Bailey Nelson led three Blue Demons with 10 or more kills on Friday night with a match-high 18 kills. Emma Price added 13 kills, while Donna Brown chipped in 11.
• Emma Price leads the team in kills per set (2.73) and Molly Murrihy paces the squad in assists per set (5.82). The Blue Demons are ranked eighth in the BIG EAST in hitting percentage (.162) and seventh in opponent hitting percentage (.318).
• Junior middle blocker Donna Brown was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. The Blue Demons were also picked to finish third in the west division of the preseason coaches' poll.

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier leads the all-time series with DePaul, 20-6. The Musketeers won both meetings in 2019 and have won four straight in the series.

HOGAN - WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

• Delaney Hogan was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Tuesday. The middle blocker earns weekly honors from the BIG EAST for the third consecutive week.

• The Fort Wayne, Ind., native posted a team and season-high 17 kills in Sunday's five-set loss at Marshall. She also recorded a team-best .438 hitting percentage as she only recorded three attacking errors in 32 attempts. Hogan added two blocks, one dig and one assist.

• She has double-figure kills in four of her five matches this season.

2021 BIG EAST HONOREES

Feb. 16 - Delaney Hogan - Weekly Honor Roll
Feb. 9 - Carrigan O'Reilly - Weekly Honor Roll
Feb. 9 - Delaney Hogan - Freshman of the Week
Feb. 2 - MaryAnn O'Toole - Weekly Honor Roll
Feb. 2 - Delaney Hogan - Freshman of the Week

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier is coming off a five-set win (19-25, 25-16, 23-25, 25-21, 15-12) vs DePaul in the team's BIG EAST opener on Friday night.

• Carrigan O'Reilly led the Musketeers with her first career triple-double. The sophomore setter posted a match-high 45 assists to go along with 12 digs and a career-high 11 kills. She also posted a .667 hitting percentage.

• Freshman Delaney Hogan posted a team-high 13 kills and eight blocks (seven assist, one solo). The middle blocker recorded a .524 hitting percentage.

• Kelly Franxman nearly missed a double-double, posted 10 kills and nine digs. Ellie Chaffee added eight kills and a .615 hitting percentage.

• Alyssa Overbeck recorded a team-high 20 digs. MaryAnn O'Toole added 12 digs and six kills.

• Xavier posted a .296 hitting percentage in the win. The Musketeers had five more total team blocks (14-9) than the Blue Demons, their third match of the season with 10 or more blocks.

• DePaul had five more aces (9-4) than the Musketeers.

BIG EAST STAT RANKINGS

TEAM
1. Kills per set (13.73)
1. Digs per set (18.59)
2. Hitting percentage (.231)
2. Assists per game (12.91)
3. Blocks per set (2.36)

INDIVIDUAL
2. Carrigan O'Reilly - Assists per set (10.64)
3. Alyssa Overbeck - Digs per set (4.95)
3. Delaney Hogan - Hitting percentage (.378)
5. MaryAnn O'Toole - Digs per set (3.86)

NCAA STAT RANKINGS

TEAM
20. Digs per set (18.59)
29. Assists per set (12.91)
40. Kills per set (13.73)
65. Blocks per set (2.36)

INDIVIDUAL
38. Carrigan O'Reilly - Assists per set (10.64)
50. Alyssa Overbeck - Digs per set (4.95)
61. Delaney Hogan - Hitting percentage (.378)

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Volleyball will play divisionally with five teams in the East (Connecticut, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall and Villanova) and five teams in the Midwest (Butler, Creighton, DePaul, Marquette and Xavier). League play will start on Friday, Feb. 19. Each team is scheduled to play divisional opponents twice, with both games scheduled at one location on the same weekend. The championship is scheduled for April 2 and 3, hosted by Creighton. The Championship will pit the top two teams in the East and Midwest against each other.

• Xavier's opponents combined to post a 148-70 (.679) overall record in 2019. Four of the Musketeers opponents advanced to the 2019 NCAA Tournament: Cincinnati (Sweet 16), Creighton (Round of 32), Marquette (Round of 32) and Dayton (First Round).

PRESEASON BIG EAST

• Lauren Hanlon was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Volleyball Team on Wednesday. The Woodstock, Ill., native led the team in kills per set (2.50) and total kills (255) during the 2019 season. She was also named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team in 2019.

• Hanlon ranked third among BIG EAST freshmen in 2019 in kills per set, while ranking 15th overall. She added 65 blocks, 47 digs and four service aces.

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

• Xavier returns 10 letterwinners from last season, including its top seven leaders in kills and blocks. The Musketeers lost its leader in total digs (426), Madi Kutruff, due to graduation.

• The Musketeers return its leader in assists, sophomore Carrigan O'Reilly. The setter averaged 6.03 a/s in conference only matches, leading all BIG EAST freshmen in the category and ranking eighth overall.

• Jayda Carlton returns after leading the BIG EAST in blocks (1.23 b/s), while ranking 51st in the NCAA. The junior middle blocker also led the team in hitting percentage (.266), while ranking 11th in the BIG EAST.

• Ellie Chaffee had a breakout season in 2019, posting 93 total blocks - ranking ninth in the BIG EAST. The junior middle blocker averaged 0.97 b/s in BIG EAST matches, ranking sixth overall.

• Xavier also returns two of its top three leaders in digs: sophomores Alyssa Overbeck and MaryAnn O'Toole. O'Toole ranked second among BIG EAST freshmen in digs in 2019, averaging 3.46 d/s. Overbeck ranked 12th (2.94 d/s) in the BIG EAST in the category.

• Xavier led the BIG EAST in blocks (2.31 b/s) in 2019, while ranking third in digs (15.37 d/s). The Musketeers ranked 74th in the NCAA in blocks per set.

• Xavier added three newcomers to the roster in Stevie Wolf, Hunter Fry and Delaney Hogan.

PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

EAST DIVISION
1. St. John's (4) - 16 pts.
2. Villanova (1) - 13
3. UConn - 8
4. Seton Hall - 7
5. Providence - 6

MIDWEST DIVISION
1. Creighton (3) - 15 pts.
2. Marquette (2) - 14
3. DePaul - 8
4. Xavier - 7
5. Butler - 6

First-place votes in ()

UP NEXT

• Xavier returns to action on Tuesday, March 9 vs Dayton. First serve is slated for 5 p.m. from Cintas Center.