Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
9-4,2-0Big East
Villanova
7-6,0-2Big East
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villanova | 11 | 30 | 25 | 22 | 11 | 2 |
| Xavier | 25 | 28 | 21 | 25 | 15 | 3 |
Xavier Defeats Villanova in Five Set Thriller
09.26.26 | Volleyball
CINCINNATI – Xavier defeated Villanova in five sets to go undefeated in the opening weekend of conference play Saturday, Sept. 26 at Cintas Center.
The Musketeers move to 9-4 overall this season and 2-0 in the BIG EAST.
Xavier opened the match with a 25-11 statement set. Jamison Gordon began the match with two consecutive aces followed by three Wildcat errors to put the Musketeers up 5-0. In the first frame, Xavier had 15 kills and four aces. Villanova was held to just 11 points and never came within five points of the Musketeers.
The Wildcats responded, taking the second set 30-28. Winning the first point, Villanova would lead through 21 points when a kill from Charlotte Moriarty tied the set. XU went up 23-21 with an ace from Moriarty but a kill from BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year Abby Harrel would tie it back up. The teams went back and forth through 28 all when Villanova tallied a kill and a Musketeer error for the win.
Ava Tilden made the first kill of the third set for Xavier and had three in the frame. Down 7-3 in the set, Xavier had three consecutive kills to come back within a point of Villanova. XU took the lead with an ace from Kelsey Niesen but the teams would share the lead through 19 points. Four kills and an ace would send Villanova to the finish line and the Wildcats would take the third set 25-21.
Xavier won the fourth set 25-22 to force a fifth. The Wildcats and the Musketeers remained even through 13 points when Xavier would go on a 5-0 run including three kills. Villanova didn't come within two points of Xavier again until the Wildcats' final point from an attack error to make the score 23-22. Back-to-back kills from Margo Kemp would secure the fourth frame victory and force the fifth and final set.
Down 6-3 in the final frame, a kill from Macy Hatkevich and a Wildcat error brought the Musketeers within a point. XU took the 8-7 lead with three kills from Gabby Semona, Catherine Flaharty and Tilden. A 5-2 scoring run put Xavier up 13-11 and a Kemp kill brought match point. Moriarty delivered the match winning kill to mark an undefeated conference opening weekend.
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Kemp and Moriarty each had 15 kills in the match, and Moriarty tallied a double-double with 13 digs.
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Kemp's 15 kills on 20 attempts put her at a .700 clip for the match which ranks fifth in all-time program history.
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Semona had a career high 13 kills on 20 attempts, hitting .650. Semona's efforts rank her 10th in hitting percentage all-time program history.
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Hatkevich led the Musketeers with 17 digs. The senior also had four kills and 38 assists.
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As a team, Xavier hit .309 against the Wildcats with 67 total kills.
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Xavier had nine aces in the match, and Kasey Quenichet tallied three for a match high.
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Xavier volleyball begins a four-match road slate at St. John's Friday, Oct. 2. First serve is set for 7 p.m. in Queens, N.Y.
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The Musketeers next play at home Oct. 16 against Providence.
