BIG EAST Action Concludes at Creighton on March 27-28

Saturday, March 27

Omaha, Neb.

7 p.m. ET

Xavier University

Creighton

BIG EAST Action Concludes at Creighton on March 27-28

03.26.21 | Volleyball

Live Stats (Saturday)Live Video (Saturday)Live Stats (Sunday)Live Video (Sunday)

The Musketeers need to win both matches this weekend to advance to the conference tournament

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier volleyball concludes BIG EAST action on March 27-28 at Creighton. The weekend series is being held at D.J. Sokol Arena.

The matches are slated to start at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.

THE MATCHUP AT CREIGHTON

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-5, 3-1) at CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS (8-3, 5-1)
Match Info - Saturday, March 27 - 7 p.m. ET - D.J. Sokol Arena (2,500)
Live Stats - bit.ly/31k3P9m
Watch Live - bit.ly/2PaJlgP

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-5, 3-1) at CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS (8-3, 5-1)
Match Info - Sundday, March 28 - 7 p.m. ET - D.J. Sokol Arena (2,500)
Live Stats - bit.ly/39iw9ND
Watch Live - bit.ly/3tXAduS

ABOUT CREIGHTON

2021 Record: 8-3 (5-1 BIG EAST)
2019 Record: 25-6 (17-1 BIG EAST)
Series History: Xavier trails, 18-0
Last Meeting: Creighton 3, Xavier 0 (Nov. 16, 2019 - Cincinnati, Ohio)

NOTABLES
• Creighton ranks first in the Midwest Division of the BIG EAST. The Bluejays were picked to win the division after posting a 25-6 (17-1 BIG EAST) record in 2019 and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the eighth straight season.
• The Bluejays lead the BIG EAST in blocks (2.46), while ranking second opponent hitting percentage (.157) and third in hitting percentage (.227).
• Creighton had a four-match win streak snapped with a four-set loss at Kansas State on March 20. The loss also snapped Creighton's streak of 63 straight weeks being ranked in the AVCA Top-25 Poll.

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series with Creighton, 18-0. The Musketeers are 0-9 in road matches.

• Creighton won both meetings in 2019 in straight sets. The last time Xavier won a set vs the Bliuejays was in a five-set loss at Creighton on Oct. 18, 2018.

HOGAN NAMED PLAYER OF WEEK

• Delaney Hogan was named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week on Tuesday afternoon. The middle blocker earned the honors for the third time this season.

• The Fort Wayne, Ind., native helped Xavier post a 2-0 record last week, posting back-to-back four set wins over Butler. She averaged 2.14 kills per set with a .353 hitting percentage.

• Hogan recorded 15 kills, four blocks and two digs last week.

O'REILLY, OVERBECK - HONOR ROLL

• Carrigan O'Reilly was named to the BIG EAST Weekly honor roll on Tuesday, earning the weekly honor for the fourth time this season. The setter averaged 12.62 assists per set and 4.50 digs per set over two matches last weekend.

• The Westerville, Ohio, native totaled 101 assists last week to go along with eight kills, 36 digs, six blocks (team high) and two aces.

• Alyssa Overbeck was also named to the BIG EAST Weekly honor roll, earning weekly honors for the first time this season.

• The libero led the team in digs, averaging 5.38 digs per set. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native totaled 43 digs over two matches to go along with five assists and a team-high three aces.

2021 BIG EAST HONOREES

March 23 - Carrigan O'Reilly - Weekly Honor Roll
March 23 - Alyssa Overbeck - Weekly Honor Roll
March 23 - Delaney Hogan - Freshman of the Week
March 16 - Carrigan O'Reilly - Weekly Honor Roll
March 2 - Carrigan O'Reilly - Offensive Player of the Week
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 four-set win vs Butler on Saturday, March 20 at Cintas Center.

• Norah Painter posted a match-high 15 kills, her fourth game of the year with 10 or more kills. The 15 kills matched her season high in the stat category. She also posted a team-high .314 hitting percentage.

• Kelly Franxman added 14 kills and 18 digs, her fifth double-double of the season. She added three assists and two blocks.

• Alyssa Overbeck led five Musketeers with 10 or more digs, recording 22 digs. Stevie Wolf added 12 digs.

• MaryAnn O'Toole was one kill away from a double-double, posting 17 digs and nine kills. Carrigan O'Reilly recorded her sixth double-double of the year as the setter finished the match with 47 assists and 17 digs. She added three kills and two blocks.

• Butler held a 6-3 advantage in aces and had two more total team blocks (9-7) than the Musketeers.

BIG EAST STAT RANKINGS

TEAM
1. Digs per set (17.73)
2. Assists per set (12.88)
2. Kills per set (13.75)
2. Hitting percentage (.225)

INDIVIDUAL
1. Delaney Hogan - Hitting percentage (.352)
1. Alyssa Overbeck - Digs per set (4.69)
2. Carrigan O'Reilly - Assists per set (10.90)
5. Ellie Chaffee - Hitting percentage (.324)

NCAA STAT RANKINGS

TEAM
30. Assists per set (12.88)
30. Digs per set (17.73)
36. Kills per set (13.75)
83. Hitting percentage (.225)

INDIVIDUAL
21. Carrigan O'Reilly - Assists per set (10.90)
72. Delaney Hogan - Hitting percentage (.352)
72. Alyssa Overbeck - Digs per set (4.69)

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 ()

PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

• The BIG EAST Tournament is set for April 2-3 in Omaha, Neb. The tournament bracket will be announced at the conclusion of regular-season action.