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December 2, 2008
MEN'S BASKETBALL
The X’s and O’s
• Xavier’s 6-0 start is the fifth-best start in Xavier history and the best since the school- record 10-0 start of the 1996-97 season. A win by XU on Wednesday against Auburn would tie XU for the third-best start in school history with the 1955-56 and 1927-28 teams. XU’s 6-0 start is the best start ever under fifth-year head coach Sean Miller.
• Xavier fifth-year head coach Sean Miller will be looking for his 100th career win on Wednesday night. Miller is 99-39 (.717) in his fifth season at the helm. Miller has moved into third place on XU’s all-time wins list for head coaches.
• Xavier, 6-0, is ranked 14th in this week’s Associated Press Poll and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. XU was 16th in the AP Poll and 20th in the coaches poll last week.
• Xavier finished the month of November with a perfect 6-0 record.
• Xavier enters the Auburn game with a 13-game home court winning streak. In fact, Xavier has won 27 of its last 28 games at Cintas Center with the only setback being against then-No. 12 Tennessee last December. The Auburn game is the second game of a three-game homestand.
• Xavier junior Derrick Brown scored a career-high 23 points in the win over Miami (Ohio), a fact that’s even more impressive considering that XU scored a season-low 60 points in its 60-53 win over the RedHawks.
• Xavier senior C.J. Anderson was named MVP of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, the second straight year he’s earned MVP honors in helping XU win a tournament championship (also Co-MVP of last year’s Chicago Challenge). XU won the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off Championship with wins over Missouri, Virginia Tech and then No. 13 Memphis from Nov. 20-23 in San Juan, P.R.
December 2, 2008
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Women's Tennis Announces 2009-10 Signee
Katie Pleiman of Dayton, Ohio to Join the Musketeers
CINCINNATI –Xavier University head women’s tennis coach Eric Toth has received a signed National Letter of Intent from Katie Pleiman, a four-star recruit according to Tennisrecruiting.net. Pleiman will join the Musketeers for the 2009-10 season.
"I couldn't be happier to be adding Katie to our team next fall as part of the '09-'10 recruiting class,” Toth said. “She will indeed have a four- year impact on our program on the court and will represent herself well in the classroom as well."
Pleiman already has some familiarity with the Musketeers. Her sister, Christie, is a sophomore on the XU women’s tennis team.
Currently a senior at Chaminade-Julienne High School in Dayton, Ohio, Pleiman is ranked 144th nationally and eighth in the state of Ohio by tennisrecruiting.net. She has compiled a 30-16 overall record, ranking as high as 139th this fall.
Pleiman has proven to be a standout in both singles and doubles action. A 2006 OHSAA Division I state doubles runner-up, she was also a 2008 OHSAA Division I state singles semi-finalist.
Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams will resume competition next month when they begin dual meet action against Florida Atlantic on Jan. 9 at 1 p.m.
November 28, 2008
VOLLEYBALL
Volleyball Drops Season Finale at Notre Dame, 3-0
Senior Jenn Welsh Records Team's Only Double-Double
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Xavier volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (23-25, 19-25, 22-25) decision at Notre Dame Friday evening at the Irish's Joyce Center to presumably close out the 2008 season. Senior Jenn Welsh recorded the team's only double-double on the night with a match-high 32 assists to go along with 10 digs. This will likely be the Musketeers last match of the year unless XU earns an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Also for the Musketeers, senior Megan Hellmann got under a season-high 18 digs to lead both teams in that category while junior Hillary Otte registered a match-high 11 kills. Otte also tallied one solo block and three assisted blocks in the contest while sophomore Chelsea Campbell added three assisted blocks as well.
Notre Dame (17-14) out-hit Xavier (16-15) .225 to .129 for the match and the Irish were able to win the kills battle, 44-37. ND narrowly edged XU in the digs column, 56-52, and the Irish recorded 11 team blocks to the Musketeers' 10. The match was relatively close throughout with 14 tied scores and four lead changes but Notre Dame came away with the straight-set victory.
The Irish were led by Kristen Dealy and Christina Kaelin with 10 kills apiece while Megan Dunne passed a team-high 14 digs. Justine Stremick had a good night at the net for ND, collecting three solo blocks and three assisted blocks.
November 26, 2008
MEN'S BASKETBALL
The X’s and O’s
• Xavier leads the series with Miami (Ohio) 49-46, although Miami upset Xavier 59-57 last season at Millett Hall (11-13-07) despite a 32-21 XU halftime lead. Xavier and Miami have met 95 times, which is second only to Dayton (147) all-time among XU opponents. Xavier has won six of the last eight meetings.
• Xavier head coach Sean Miller and Miami head coach Charlie Coles coached together as assistants at Miami (Ohio) during the 1994-95 season, the second of two seasons for Miller under then MU head coach Herb Sendek. Xavier assistant coach James Whitford spent 11 seasons at Miami, including seven seasons as the top assistant to Coles.
• Xavier, 5-0, is ranked 16th in this week’s Associated Press Poll and 20th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. XU was “among others receiving votes” prior to this week.
• Xavier, 5-0, won the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off Championship with wins over Missouri, Virginia Tech and No. 13 Memphis from Nov. 20-23 in San Juan, P.R.
• Xavier’s 5-0 start is the best start ever under fifth-year head coach Sean Miller. It is the best start by a Xavier team since XU also began the 1997-98 season at 5-0.
• Xavier fifth-year head coach Sean Miller has moved into third place on XU’s all-time wins list for head coaches. Miller is now 98-39 (.715).
• Xavier senior C.J. Anderson was named MVP of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, the second straight year he’s earned MVP honors in helping XU win a tournament championship (also Co-MVP of last year’s Chicago Challenge).
• Xavier sophomore Danté Jackson played the role of hero and made the top spot on ESPN SportsCenter’s “Top 10” list last Friday with his halfcourt, buzzer-beating three-pointer that gave Xavier a 63-62 overtime win over Virginia Tech.
• Xavier is one of only nine schools that have made the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight multiple times in the last five years. XU made its third straight NCAA appearance in 2008. XU has won at least 20 games in three straight seasons and 11 times in 12 years.
November 25, 2008
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Xavier freshman point guard Terrell Holloway has been diagnosed with a left foot stress fracture. Holloway is expected to miss 2-4 weeks.
Holloway has played in all five Musketeer games, averaging 7.8 points and 2.4 rebounds in 21.0 minutes per game as a reserve. Holloway leads Xavier in free throw percentage at .964 (27-of-28).
November 25, 2008
BASEBALL
Baseball Inks Five During Signing Period
Head Coach Scott Googins Announces Signees to Join the Team for 2009-10
CINCINNATI - The Xavier baseball team and head coach Scott Googins has announced that five future Musketeers have signed National Letters of Intent to play at XU beginning in the 2009-10 season. Seth Dawes (Chillicothe, Ohio – Chillicothe High School), Vinny Nittoli (Gibsonia, Pa. – Pine-Richland High School), Patrick Paligraf (Fishers, Ind. – Cathedral High School), Jonathan Richard (Versailles, Ohio – Versailles High School) and Seth Willoughby (Columbus, Ohio – Bishop Watterson High School) will be joining the team in the fall of 2009 and will look to make an immediate impact on the squad.
“We are very excited about our recruiting class and feel we have filled our needs,” said Googins following the recent signing period. “These five student-athletes will make an impact on our program and will help build on the success of Xavier baseball.”
Dawes, a 6-3 catcher, is a three-time Silver Bat Award winner and has been named to the SE All-District First Team over the three seasons he has played at Chillicothe High School. In 2007 and 2008, Dawes also earned ALL-SEOAL First Team honors as well. In addition to his athletics accomplishments, Dawes is a member of the National Honor Society and has earned All-League and All-District Academic awards.
“We are very excited about Seth [Dawes] being a part of the Xavier program,” commented Googins. “Seth is a big, strong, athletic catcher who will help bolster our defense. Seth’s father, Steve, played baseball at Xavier and we’re excited to welcome this baseball family back to the program.”
Nittoli, a 6-1 right-handed pitcher and outfielder, played in the Quad A Palomino League during the summers of 2007 and 2008 and helped lead his team to the championship game of the East Zone Palomino Tournament in 2008. He averaged .504 at the plate and posted an ERA of just under 1.00 during the 2008 summer season. Nittoli is a two-sport athlete at Pine-Richland High and has earned two varsity letters as a baseball player as well as earning 2007 All-State First Team accolades as a linebacker on the football team.
“Vinny has the ability to be a frontline pitcher for us,” Googins said. “He’s a competitor and a tough, hard-nosed kid. Vinny has a 90 mph plus fast ball with a good slider which potentially makes him a dominant pitcher.”
Paligraf, a 6-1 infielder, helped lead Cathedral to a state championship in 2006 and a state semifinal finish in 2007. He was named to the All-City Honorable Mention team in 2007 and the Second Team in 2008. Paligraf is also a basketball standout for Cathedral and was named to the All-City Honorable Mention team for the past two years.
“Patrick has great instincts for the game and possesses a strong arm,” Googins commented. “He is a solid line-drive hitter, who should hit for more power as he matures.”
Richard, a 6-3 left-handed pitcher and brother of current Musketeer Zac Richard, is a three-year varsity letter winner for Versailles High School. He helped lead his team to a district runner-up finish his sophomore and junior seasons as well as a regional runner-up finish his freshman year. Richard was named MVP of the Bob Ross Classic in 2008 and was named to the All-League First Team his junior year as well. In addition to baseball, Richard has also earned varsity letters in football (3) and basketball (2).
“Jon is a very talented left-handed pitcher who is only going to get better,” said Googins. “His mental makeup and competitiveness is what makes him special. Jon’s family had already made a mark on the Xavier baseball program as he joins his brother, Zac, on the team.”
Willoughby, a 6-1 infielder and right-handed pitcher, was named to the All-Columbus Catholic League (CCL) First Team his sophomore and junior seasons while earning All-District First Team honors his sophomore year as well. Following last season, Willoughby was named his team’s MVP and was named to the American League All-District Team after the summer following his sophomore year. He played for A Green Baseball Club in Ypsilanti, Mich., during the summer of 2008 and his team won the USSSA 18U World Series.
“Seth [Willoughby] provides us with a lot of versatility in the infield and looks to be an impact player,” Googins said. “He runs well, is very athletic and will positively affect our team.”
The Musketeers will open up the 2009 season on February 20 in Raleigh, N.C., taking part in the North Carolina State Tournament. XU will play three games in Raleigh over the three-day tournament. Xavier will open its home schedule with a three-game series against Atlantic 10 foe Saint Louis on March 20-22.
November 25, 2008
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Xavier University head basketball coach Sean Miller announced today that he has received a signed National Letter of Intent from 6-6, 200-pound guard/forward Kevin Parrom from South Kent (Conn.) Prep.
“Kevin Parrom is a versatile wing player that can play a number of different positions in our program,” said Miller. “With the impending departures of seniors C.J. Anderson and B.J. Raymond, finding this type of player was our top priority in the 2009 class. We are very excited about Kevin’s ability to contribute to our program on the basketball court. We are equally excited about his ability as a student and who he is as a person. He is a great fit into our University and our basketball program.”
Parrom’s coach at South Kent, Kelvin Jefferson, raved about Parrom’s work ethic and versatility. “I love his competitiveness and how hard he works,” said Jefferson. “His versatility sets him apart as a player. He handles the ball and shoots like a guard but he has the size to go inside and get a rebound or post up another player. When he grabs a rebound he also has the ability to start the break. He can do a lot of things well.”
“Kevin is a high character kid,” Jefferson continued. “He’s mature. He takes criticism, learns from it and works hard to get better.”
Jefferson said Parrom is on a deep team with 11 potential Division I players.
Parrom was listed very high by all of the recruiting services. He was the number 16 small forward (number 74 overall and a four-star recruit) by scout.com, the number 19 small forward (number 84 overall and a four-star recruit) by rivals.com and the number 20 small forward (number 83 overall) by ESPN.com.
“Xavier only signed one player in the fall but they struck gold with Kevin,” said Paul Biancardi, ESPN National Director of Recruiting for High School and College Basketball. “He will make an immediate impact and that’s quite a statement about Kevin because he is entering a high-level, top-notch college basketball program.”
“I just saw Kevin play again this past weekend,” Biancardi continued. “Kevin puts tremendous pressure on the defense with his driving ability. He has great body control when he gets to the rim and can adjust while in the air. He has improved his jump shot. Kevin plays the game with tremendous passion. He doesn’t take plays off. He has the potential to be an outstanding defender in the tough, gritty defense that Sean (Miller) likes to play. He is a high level player that brings a lot to the table.”
Prior to enrolling at South Kent Prep, Parrom averaged 14.5 ppg. as a junior at St. Raymond’s High School in the Bronx.
November 25, 2008
MEN'S BASKETBALL
ATLANTIC 10 MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE AIRED
ON CBS SPORTS BEGINNING IN 2010;
LEAGUE ALSO ANNOUNCES NEW CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Atlantic 10 Conference and CBS Sports today announced a multi-year agreement for CBS to air the league’s men’s basketball championship final, beginning in 2010.
“We are extremely excited to partner with CBS Sports for our men’s basketball championship,” says A-10 commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade. “To have our champion crowned on the most exciting day of the college basketball season – Selection Sunday – speaks volumes to the respect that the Atlantic 10 has on a national level. Our student-athletes, coaches, and administrators will benefit greatly.”
"We are delighted to welcome the Atlantic 10 to the outstanding CBS Sports collection of championship games," says Mike Aresco, executive vice president, programming for CBS Sports. "The conference has a long tradition of excellence and now our viewers will be able to see the game that sends the winner to the NCAA Championship."
The Atlantic 10 also announced a new format for the men’s basketball championship to coincide with the 2010 title game being moved to Sunday on CBS Sports. The new format will continue to see the top 12 teams participate with seeds 1 through 4 receiving an opening round bye; however, the four opening round games will move to the campuses of the higher remaining seeded teams. Winners of each game will advance to the quarterfinals at a site scheduled to be announced later this winter for 2010 and beyond.
“Allowing four institutions to host an opening round championship game will generate enthusiasm throughout the footprint of the Atlantic 10,” says McGlade. “This hybrid format presents the best of all worlds: allowing teams to host mid-week opening round games, which are always an attendance challenge, and subsequently advancing all to a common championship site on a traditional weekend schedule of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It has the potential to benefit the teams, the fans, the media opportunities, and the overall excitement surrounding the event.”
The 2010 Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Championship will begin on Tuesday, March 9, with opening round play and will continue on Friday, March 12 with four quarterfinal round games. The semifinals will be played the afternoon of Saturday, March 13, with the final tipping off at 1:00pm on Sunday, March 14, on CBS Sports.
The 2009 Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Championship will commence on Wednesday, March 11, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J. and conclude with the title game on Saturday, March 14, on ESPN2 at 6:00pm. Tickets can be purchased in person or by phone at the Boardwalk Hall ticket office (609-348-7021), any Atlantic 10 institution’s ticket office, and on-line at www.atlantic10.org, www.atlanticcitynj.com, and www.ticketmaster.com.
November 24, 2008
MEN'S BASKETBALL
The Xavier University men’s basketball team finally arrived back in Cincinnati tonight after a week in Puerto Rico. The Musketeers are also back in both major nationals polls announced today following its impressive championship run through the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Xavier, 16th in the Associated Press Poll and 20th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, defeated Missouri, Virginia Tech and Memphis to win the title.
The Musketeers, who defeated then No. 13/12 Memphis, 63-58, in last night’s championship game, had been among the top teams among “others receiving votes” in both the preseason polls and last week’s first polls of the regular season. XU tied the school record for best finish in the final 2008 Associated Press Poll when it finished 12th this past March. XU set a new school record for the final post-tournament 2008 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll with a ranking of eighth in a poll that was released after the 2008 Final Four.
November 22, 2008
VOLLEYBALL
Volleyball Falls to No. 21 Saint Louis in Semis of A-10 Tourney
XU Set to Play at Notre Dame Next Week
SAINT LOUIS, Mo. - The Xavier volleyball team wrapped up its championship play with a 3-0 (16-25, 17-25, 14-25) loss to No. 21 Saint Louis in the semifinals of the 2008 Atlantic 10 Championship in Chaifetz Pavilion Saturday night. The Musketeers were led by junior Lauren Kaminsky with a team-high nine kills.
Also for the Musketeers, senior Megan Hellmann and junior Hillary Otte each tallied seven digs while sophomore Claire Paszkiewicz set a team-high 18 assists.
Saint Louis (25-4) scored the first four points of the match before Ruth recorded a kill to set the score at 4-1 in favor of the Billikens. SLU stretched its lead to six, 15-9, after back-to-back Billiken kills and Xavier (16-14) was forced to call its second timeout of the frame. Out of the break, Saint Louis was able to go up by as many as nine and it held set-point, 24-15, after a kill from Sally Warning. A service error gave the Musketeers another change but Lauren Christman's subsequent kill gave SLU the 25-16 first-set win.
The Billikens went up 2-0 but the Musketeers battled to keep the second set close in the early going. An assisted block by Kaminsky and sophomore Chelsea Campbell tied the frame at five each. Back-to-back kills from Fonke gave SLU the short two-point lead, 7-5, but the game was tied again at eight-all after a kill from freshman Emily Mayers. The Musketeers had trouble with SLU's Sammi McCloud, the 2008 A-10 Player of the Year, as she kept the Billikens ahead with four consecutive kills.
SLU got ahead by four, 15-11, after a 3-0 run that was capped off by a kill from Whitney Roth as she dumped the ball over the net. Xavier signaled for timeout and after a minute break XU won the sideout on a kill from Kaminsky. Anther kill from Fonke pushed the Billiken lead to six, 20-14, and XU called its second timeout. A kill from Christman gave Saint Louis set-point, 24-17, and she followed with another kill to take the game for the Billikens, 25-17. SLU headed into the intermission with a two-set advantage.
In the third set, Saint Louis took the quick 7-2 advantage after rattling off three straight. The lead was expanded to nine, 15-6, and the Billikens never looked back. The lead was as large as 11 for SLU and it held match-point at 13-24 when a net violation gave XU one more try. On the ensuing play, Warning took the match for Saint Louis with a kill in the center of the court.
The Billikens were led by Fonke with a match-high 14 kills along with a match-high tying 11 digs.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
The X’s and O’s
• Xavier’s 4-0 start is the best start ever under fifth-year head coach Sean Miller. It is the best start by a Xavier team since XU also started 4-0 to begin the 2000-01 season. When’s the last time XU started better than 4-0? XU began the 1997-98 season at 5-0.
• Xavier fifth-year head coach Sean Miller, who played at Pittsburgh from 1987-92, was recruited to play for Pitt by current Memphis head coach John Calipari, who was a Pitt assistant under Paul Evans from 1985-88. Calipari and Miller are still very close friends.
• Xavier fifth-year head coach Sean Miller, who turned 40 on Monday, has moved into third place on XU’s all-time wins list for head coaches. Miller is now 97-39 (.713).
• Xavier junior Derrick Brown appears to have recovered from an early-season ankle injury as evidenced by his team-high 16 points to go with seven rebounds and three assists in the Missouri win and his team-high 16 points to go with six rebounds and three assists in the Virginia Tech win.
• Xavier sophomore Danté Jackson played the role of hero and made the top spot on ESPN SportsCenter’s “Top 10” list on Friday with his halfcourt, buzzer-beating three-pointer that gave Xavier a 63-62 overtime win over Virginia Tech.
• Xavier freshman Terrell Holloway was a star in the win over Missouri. Holloway scored a career-high 12 points, including hitting 10-of-10 late-game free throws.
• Xavier’s Musketeers are earning a reputation as “Comeback Kids” here in Puerto Rico, erasing a seven-point second half deficit in the Missouri win and a 10-point second half deficit in the Virginia Tech overtime win.
• Xavier is one of only nine schools that have made the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight multiple times in the last five years. Memphis is also on that list. XU made its third straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2008 and its seventh in the last eight years.
• Xavier, 30-7 last season, has won at least 20 games in three straight seasons and 11 times in the last 12 years.
November 21, 2008
MEN'S BASKETBALL
THE X’S AND O’S
• Xavier and Virginia Tech were Atlantic 10 Conference rivals from the 1995-96 season through the 1999-2000 season.
• Xavier junior Derrick Brown appears to have recovered from an early-season ankle injury as evidenced by his team-high 16 points to go with seven rebounds and three assists in the Missouri win.
• Xavier freshman Terrell Holloway was a star of yesterday’s win over Missouri Holloway scored a career-high 12 points to go with two assists. He hit 10-of-10 free throws in the final 5:36 of the game.
• Xavier’s first round win over Missouri should not come as a surprise. XU has enjoyed success in the last couple years in regular season tournaments. Xavier captured the 2007 Chicago Challenge Championship last season, beating then-No. 8 Indiana in the title game. C.J. Anderson was named Co-MVP of that event. XU finished second at the 2006 Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands to then-No. 8 Alabama.
• Xavier fifth-year head coach Sean Miller celebrated his 40th birthday on Monday, November 17, the day of the Toledo game. Speaking of Miller, Xavier’s wins in the first three games have raised his XU head coaching mark to mark to 96-39 (.711) and put him in a tie for third place all-time in wins among XU coaches with Clem Crowe (96- 78 for .552 in 10 seasons from 1933-43).
• Xavier won its 12th straight home game with an 81-65 win over Toledo on Monday night at Cintas Center. Senior B.J. Raymond hit 7-of-8 from the field, including 4-of-4 from three-point range, en route to a team-high 18 points against Toledo.
• Xavier is one of only nine schools that have made the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight multiple times in the last fi ve years. XU made its third straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2008 and its seventh in the last eight years.
• Xavier, 30-7 last season, has won at least 20 games in three straight seasons and 11 times in the last 12 years.
November 21, 2008
VOLLEYBALL
Volleyball Battles to Stay Alive in A-10 Tourney, Downs Temple, 3-2
Chelsea Campbell has Career Night with 14 Kills
Box Score | Photos of Friday's Pass-and-Serve 
SAINT LOUIS, Mo. – Although it took five sets, the fourth-seeded Xavier volleyball team kept its season alive by recording a 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 17-25, 25-18, 15-10) win over No. 5 Temple in the first round of the 2008 Atlantic 10 Championship Friday night in Chaifetz Pavilion. The Musketeers advance to play top-seeded Saint Louis at 9 pm ET (8 pm CT) on Saturday. XU was led by junior Kelly Ruth with a team-high 16 kills and was one dig away from a double-double with nine in addition to a team-high four assisted blocks.
Also for the Musketeers, sophomore Chelsea Campbell tallied a career-high 14 kills in the contest and sophomore Claire Paszkiewicz recorded a double-double with 20 assists and 18 digs. Also with double-digit kills was junior Hillary Otte with 10 while senior Megan Hellmann got under 16 digs for the contest.
Xavier (16-13) jumped out to an early 3-0 set-one lead after back-to-back Temple (15-14) errors and an assisted block by Ruth and freshman Kathryn Traut. The Owls got right back in the game when a Musketeer attack error and subsequent Owl assisted block gave TU the 6-5 advantage. Temple used a 6-1 run to stretch its lead to four, 14-10, and the Owls found themselves up by four again, 17-13, after consecutive kills by Yun Yi Zhang. Xavier called timeout and out of the break, XU got two back on kills from junior Lauren Kaminsky and Ruth.
Temple got ahead by four three more times with the last coming at 22-18. Freshman Emily Mayers and Ruth layed down two straight kills for the Musketeers followed by an illegal Owl attack put XU within one, 22-21. TU held set-point, 24-22, and XU called for a break. Out of the timeout, the Musketeers kept the game going with a kill from Kaminsky but on the following play TU’s Patricia Vernon registered a kill to end the set, 25-23.
The Musketeers took a quick 4-1 lead to open the second set and pushed it to five, 9-4, on the strength of three kills from sophomore Chelsea Campbell. Another kill from Campbell and a service ace by Kaminsky gave XU the 11-6 advantage and Temple needed a minute to talk it over. The Owls scored three straight out of the break before a kill by Ruth squashed the run. A subsequent service ace from sophomore Shannon Voors set the score at 13-9 in favor of the Musketeers.
TU stayed in the frame and pulled to within two, 18-16, after a kill from Anissa Whitney. XU called for a timeout and when play resumed Zhang served the ball out of bounds for the Musketeer sideout. The Owls got to within one, 21-20, after a TU service ace and Xavier used its second and final TO of the set. Temple scored its first lead of the set, 23-22, after an illegal Musketeer attack but it was short lived as Temple’s Cayleigh Ashman served the ball out of bounds and Kaminsky followed with a kill on the next play as XU earned set-point, 24-23. XU headed into the intermission with the match tied, 1-1, after a second-set, 25-23, win after Kaminsky recorded her second consecutive kill.
In the third set it was Temple that took the fast lead, going up 8-2. The lead was cut to three, 6-9, following consecutive kills from Voors but the Owls pushed it back to five three times. Back-to-back Xavier assisted blocks allowed XU to pull within two, 13-11, and TU called for a break. Temple got up seven, 21-14, forcing Xavier to call its second timeout of the game. A kill from Zhang gave TU set-point and an assisted block by Jacqueline Cowden and Zhang won the set for the Owls, 25-17 and Temple took the 2-1 lead.
Xavier took control of the fourth set with an 8-3 lead after a kill apiece from junior Hillary Otte and Voors. XU stretched the advantage to seven, 13-6, following consecutive Musketeer kills and an assisted block by Otte and Mayers. Temple wanted to put a stop to the 4-0 XU run and called for a break. The Owls got the sideout on a kill from Ashman followed by a kill from Zhang to put the set at 14-8. The Musketeers’ 5-1 run gave them their largest lead of the contest, 19-9, and Temple was forced to call its second timeout.
Temple pulled to within five, 20-15, following a call that didn’t agree with the XU bench and the up-ref gave the Xavier bench a yellow card (warning). TU got the set to five three more times before a kill from Ruth gave Xavier set-point, 24-18. Voors smashed down the game-winning kill as XU tied the match at two sets apiece with the fourth-set win, 25-18.
In the deciding game, Temple went ahead three, 5-2, following a solo block by Vernon. XU got to within one, 7-6, on a kill from Voors and then tied the set at seven apiece on an Owl attack error. The Musketeers retook the lead after two more Temple attack errors, 9-7, and TU called for a timeout. Out of the break, the Owls got a point back on a kill by Ashman but XU stretched its lead to four, 12-8, after a kill from Ruth.
Temple called its second TO and when play resumed, Zhang laid down another kill. Xavier answered with a kill from Mayers and a service ace by sophomore Claire Paszkiewicz to earn match-point, 14-9. TU got one point back but Otte closed out the set with a kill, 15-10, and Xavier won the match, 3-2, to advance to the semifinal round.
The Owls were led by Zhang, who registered the match’s only other double-double with a match-high 20 kills to go with 11 digs. Ariel Pierre tallied a match-high 21 digs and Morrison served as the Owls primary setter, setting 44 assists.
Cincinnati
Xavier
Miami
Northern Kentucky
Thomas More College
Mt. St. Joseph
Kentucky
Cincinnati State
UC-Clermont
Miami-Hamilton
Miami-Middletown
Dayton
Wright State
