Xavier Continues BIG EAST Play on the Road Against Villanova and Georgetown

CINCINNATI, OH - After splitting their matches last weekend, the Musketeers look to take down Villanova and Georgetown on the road this weekend. First serve is set for 7:00 pm ET on Friday against Villanova and 3:00 pm ET on Saturday against Georgetown.

The Musketeers are 6-6 (1-1 BIG EAST), while Villanova is 8-6 and Georgetown is 4-9. Both opponents are looking for their first conference victory this season.

XAVIER SCHEDULE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (6-6) vs VILLANOVA WILDCATS (8-6)
Match Info - Friday, October 1 - 7:00 p.m. ET - Finneran Pavilion
Live Stats - https://bit.ly/2ZKI05o
Watch Live ($) - https://bit.ly/3F4Vg50

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (6-6) vs GEORGETOWN HOYAS (4-9)
Match Info - Saturday, October 2 - 3:00 p.m. ET - McDonough Arena
Live Stats - https://bit.ly/39S5gjD
Watch Live ($) - https://bit.ly/3kVMBdd

ABOUT VILLANOVA

2021 (Fall) Record: 8-6 (0-2 BIG EAST)
2021 (Spring) Record: 4-6 (3-5 BIG EAST)
Series History: Xavier leads 8-6
Last Meeting: Xavier 0, Villanova 3 (October 26, 2019 - Cincinnati, OH)

NOTABLES
• This will be the 15th meeting between Xavier and Villanova. The Musketeers hold the series advantage 8-6, but the Wildcats have won the last three meetings.
• The Wildcats are 8-6 this spring, highlighted by going 3-0 at the Northeastern Tournament as part of a 5-1 stretch to end their nonconference schedule.
• Villanova was tabbed to finish 5th in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll with DS Averi Salvador being named an all-conference selection.
• Josh Steinbach is in his 15th season as head coach of Villanova. He has accumulated more than 200 victories with the program, the most in school history.

ABOUT GEORGETOWN

2021 (Fall) Record: N/A
2021 (Spring) Record: 4-9 (0-2 BIG EAST)
Series History: Xavier leads 14-2
Last Meeting: Xavier 3, Georgetown 2 (October 25, 2019 - Cincinnati, OH)

NOTABLES
• Xavier and Georgetown will play for the 17th time this Saturday, with the Musketeers holding the all-time edge, 14-2. It has been close as of late, with Xavier winning in five sets both times in 2019, and the Hoyas picking up two sweeps in 2018.
• Georgetown is 4-9 this season, but they have lost their last six matches. Victories came against George Washington, St. Peter's, St. Francis, and Maryland Eastern Shore.
• The Hoyas were picked to finish 11th in the BIG EAST, having received 10 points by the coaches in the Preseason Poll.
• David Heller is at the helm of the Hoyas in his first season as head coach. He coached the Mount Olive men's team for six seasons, while simultaneously serving as a women's team assistant coach. He also represented Team USA and the Colllegiate Men's National Team in 2015 and 2017.

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 10 of 11 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 and Miami before they face Dayton later this year.

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

• Xavier opens its 18-match BIG EAST schedule on Friday, Sept. 24 vs Providence. The Musketeers play four of their first six BIG EAST matches at Cintas Center.

• 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 (8)	97 pts.
2.	Marquette (3)	93
3.	St. John's	83
4.	Xavier	68
5.	Villanova	56
t-6.	UConn	48
t-6.	DePaul	48
8.	Providence	44
9.	Butler	31
10.	Seton Hall	27
11.	Georgetown	10

First-place votes in ()

CURRENT BIG EAST STANDINGS

1.	Creighton	2-0
2.	Marquette (3)	2-0
3.	UConn	2-0
4.	DePaul	2-0
5.	Xavier	1-1
6.	St. John's	1-1
7.	Butler	1-1
8.	Providence	0-2
9.	Villanova	0-2
10.	Seton Hall	0-2
11.	Georgetown	0-2

UP NEXT

• Following this weekend's action, Xavier comes home for four of their next five matches. Seton Hall and St. John's are up first, on October 8-9.

Schedule

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