#BIGEASTvb Minute – Opening Weekend Highlighted By Two BEDN Matches
BIG EAST Volleyball Notes Update (PDF)
Watch #BIGEASTvb on BEDN: Xavier at St. John's | Marquette at Creighton
NEW YORK – The first full BIG EAST volleyball weekend has arrived three of the four BIG EAST Championship teams from 2015 highlight the opening Friday night of volleyball on the BIG EAST Digital Network. Three of the top outside hitters in the conference will be on display as Marquette sophomore Taylor Louis will go head-to-head with Creighton sophomore Jaali Winters. In action in Queens will be senior Abbey Bessler.
Friday’s schedule has Xavier at St. John’s, DePaul at Providence, Butler at Seton Hall and Marquette at Creighton. On Saturday, the travel partners switch as Butler plays at St. John’s, and Seton Hall hosts Xavier. Also on the docket for Saturday, Georgetown hosts their own travel partner Villanova.
The weekend schedule ends Sunday with Marquette at Providence, making the long trip from Omaha on Saturday and DePaul at Creighton, making the reverse commute.
Friday on @BIGEASTdigital
Xavier at St. John’s
First up, St. John’s hosts Xavier at 7 p.m. at Carnesecca Arena. Xavier is under second year head coach Christy Pfeffenberger. Under Pfeffenberger, the Musketeers went 14-4 in the league and loss to Villanova in the BIG EAST Championship semifinals. Along with Bessler, Xavier boasts the talents of preseason All-BIG EAST Sofia Peterson at right side hitter. St. John’s has been bolstered by the Italian due of freshman setter Erica DiMaulo and sophomore outside hitter Margherita Bianchin. The Red Storm is already 1-0 in league play after opening league play with a 3-1 win at Georgetown on Tuesday. It is the season-opener for Xavier.
Marquette at Creighton
The BIG EAST season-opener between the Golden Eagles and Bluejays is a 2015 BIG EAST Championship semifinal rematch. When last they met, No. 1 seed Creighton defeated fourth-seeded Marquette 3-2 (25-19, 25-16, 21-25, 20-25, 15-10). The Bluejays went up 2-0 on the Golden Eagles, but Marquette rallied back, winning the next two to take it to five. On display during the match were two of the BIG EAST’s most prolific scorers, 2015 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year from Creighton Jaali Winters and Marquette’s Taylor Louis. Winters and Louis combined for 48 kills as Louis accounted for 27.5 points for the Golden Eagles and Winters scored 22.5 points for the Bluejays. Both teams are receiving votes in the national polls currently.
Fun opponent fact: Creighton lost to USC in the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2015, Marquette upset then-No. 7 USC, 3-1, in the 2016 season-opener.
MIDWEEK RECAP
St. John’s and Villanova each earned wins in conference play, while Georgetown and Seton Hall start the 2016 league slate at 0-1. Providence earned a five-set win over local-foe Bryant. St. John’s defeated Georgetown 3-1, while Villanova won in straight sets.
STAT LEADERS IN THE NCAA
Providence’s Michelle Cruz tops the NCAA statistical rankings in total digs with 308. In team stats, Butler is the national leader in total assists (783) and team kills (832). Butler outside hitter Anna Logan is fourth in the country in kills SG highs (279), points (316.0) and total kills (279). She is also fifth in attacks (690). Villanova’s Michaela Berendt is fifth in the NCAA in hitting percentage (0.432), while St. John’s Danisha Moss is fifth in total blocks (76).
NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR #BIGEASTvb
Marquette and Creighton are currently receiving votes in the national American Volleyball Association top 25 poll. Marquette is just the second team out of the top 25. The Bluejays began the year ranked No. 18 in the preseason poll, the third time in four seasons the Bluejays earned a spot in the preseason poll.
#BIGEASTvb Weekend Schedule
Friday, Sept. 23
XAVIER at ST. JOHN’S (BEDN) at 7 p.m.
DePAUL at PROVIDENCE at 7 p.m.
BUTLER at SETON HALL at 7 p.m.
MARQUETTE at CREIGHTON (BEDN) at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 24
BUTLER at ST. JOHN’S at 5 p.m.
XAVIER at SETON HALL at 7 p.m.
GEORGETOWN at VILLANOVA at 7 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 25
MARQUETTE at PROVIDENCE at 1 p.m.
DePAUL at CREIGHTON at 2 p.m.