Xavier Plays Home-and-Home with Morehead State This Week

Thursday, September 18

Morehead, Ky.

5 p.m.

Xavier University

Morehead State

Xavier Plays Home-and-Home with Morehead State This Week

09.16.25 | Volleyball

Watch Thursday (ESPN+)Watch Saturday (Xavier+)Live Stats (Thursday)Live Stats (Saturday)

The Musketeers will travel to Morehead State on Thursday before returning home to face the Eagles at Cintas Center.

By: Abbey Curtis, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - The Xavier volleyball team is set to face Morehead State twice this week. The Musketeers head to MSU on Thursday and return to Cintas Center on Saturday to host the Eagles.

The Musketeers look to extend their three-game win streak and reach 10 wins in just 11 games for the first time in program history.

Xavier started the season 6-0, the best in program history since the team went 7-0 to start the 2007 season and the last time XU made the NCAA Tournament.

match information

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Xavier Musketeers (9-1, 0-0 BIG EAST) at Morehead State Eagles (6-3, 0-0 OVC)
Morehead, Ky. // Johnson Arena
Watch (ESPN+)
Live Stats

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Xavier Musketeers (9-1, 0-0 BIG EAST) vs. Morehead State Eagles (6-3, 0-0 OVC)
Cincinnati, Ohio // Cintas Center
Watch (Xavier+)
Live Stats

about the musketeers

Kelsey Niesen was named the Golden Grizzlies Invitational MVP after her performance last weekend in Michigan. The libero averaged 3.91 digs per set to help the Musketeers hold all opponents to a .167 hitting percentage at the tournament.
Margo Kemp also earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team with her 2.40 kills and 1.30 blocks per set. The middle blocker hit .400 on the weekend including 10 kills for a .600 clip against Eastern Michigan.
Charlotte Moriarty tabbed an All-Tournament selection as well after notching her fourth career double-double in the win over Eastern Michigan on 13 kills and 11 digs while hitting .333. The sophomore shined defensively in all three games over the weekend, tallying 10 digs against Oakland and nine against SIU.
The Musketeers rank second in the conference for both opponent hitting percentage (.171) and blocks per set (2.53).
Kemp and McKinley Boehm each rank in the top-five for individual block leaders. Boehm, a freshman averages 1.18 per set, the highest of any rookie while Kemp contributes 1.14 per set.
Xavier is 9-1 and a win on Thursday would make them the first BIG EAST team to reach 10 wins this season.
Anna Taylor's .389 hitting percentage ranks fifth in the league and is the highest of any non-middle blocker.

scouting the eagles

Morehead State is currently 6-3 after sweeping the Evansville Tournament last weekend, picking up wins over Western Illinois, UAB and Evansville.
The Eagles also BIG EAST foe St. John's, 3-0, to open the season on Aug. 29 in Louisville, Ky.
MSU was picked to finish fourth in the 2025 OVC Preseason Poll after a 12-6 conference record last year and championship appearance.
The Eagles return 2024 All-OVC First Team selection, M.E. Hargan, who led the team with 3.12 kills per set last season.
Morehead State earned the OVC's automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Tournament, despite falling to Lindenwood in the conference championship. Lindenwood was ineligible due to their reclassification to Division I.
MSU fell to No. 1 Pitt in the 2024 NCAA First Round by a score of 3-0. Hargan had 10 kills in the match.
Xavier is 19-16 all-time against Morehead State, winning the last four straight and nine of the last 10. XU won 3-0 in the last meeting on Oct. 15, 2013.

big east weekly honors

Sept. 2 - Margo Kemp - BIG EAST Co-Defensive Player of the Week
Sept. 8 - McKinley Boehm - BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
Sept. 8 - Macy Hatkevich - BIG EAST Setter of the Week
Sept. 8 - Emma Grace - BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll

preseason big east honors

BIG EAST Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
(first-place votes)

Creighton (10) 100
Marquette (1) 85
UConn 80
St. John's 79
Villanova 63
DePaul 53
Xavier 47
Seton Hall 31
Butler 29
Georgetown 27
Providence 11

Preseason BIG EAST Volleyball Player of the Year: Ava Martin, Sr., OH, Creighton

Preseason All-BIG EAST Team^
McKenna Brand, So., L/DS, UConn
Doga Kutlu, Gr., S, UConn
Emma Werkmeister, Sr., OH, UConn
Jaya Johnson, So., RS/MB, Creighton
Ava Martin, Sr., OH, Creighton*
Kiara Reinhardt, Sr., MB, Creighton*
Hattie Bray, Sr., MB, Marquette*
Natalie Ring, Jr., OH, Marquette
Erin Jones, Sr., S/RS, St. John's*
Lucrezia Lodi, Sr., OH, St. John's
Rashanny Solano-Smith, Jr., L/DS, St. John's
Abby Harrell, Jr., OH, Villanova
Campbell McKinnon, So., MB, Villanova
Margo Kemp, RS-So., MB, Xavier
^Denotes tie in voting
*Denotes unanimous selection