Volleyball tops Xavier in four sets

Box Score (PDF)

CINCINNATI, Ohio – Hope Werch led five MU players with at least nine kills as the Marquette University women's volleyball team defeated Xavier, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon at Cintas Center.

Werch posted a match-high 15 kills and hit .316, while Taylor Wolf had 13, Savannah Rennie had 12 and Ellie Koontz landed 10 on .421 hitting. The Golden Eagles (22-4, 13-2 BIG EAST) picked up their 10th road victory of the season and have taken 43 of 56 sets away from home this season.

Koontz notched six of her 10 kills in the opening set to help MU to a 25-20 first set victory as MU hit .297 (16-5-37). The Musketeers had no answer for the lefty, who hit .857 in the frame and was errorless on seven swings. Marquette reeled off six-straight points after Xavier scored the opening point to take full control and never looked back.

MU faltered to a 25-15 loss in the second set by hitting .093 (10-6-43), while Xavier hit .400 on its way to the win.

Claire Nuessmeier made her entrance early in the third set and helped Marquette out to a 10-5 edge with a run of five points at the service line, including three aces. MU won the frame 25-18 while hitting .273.

The Golden Eagles picked up the four-set win with a 25-21 victory in the fourth on the strength of 19 kills and a .417 hitting percentage.

The win is the 100th career BIG EAST Conference victory for Marquette head coach Ryan Theis, who reached 300 career wins last season.

Xavier (11-15, 6-9 BIG EAST) was led by 14 kills from Delaney Hogan and 13 from Kelly Franxman. Hogan also posted five blocks.

In 26 all-time matches between the Golden Eagles and Musketeers, MU is 17-9 and swept Xavier in the previous meeting on Nov. 1, 2019.

The Golden Eagles play their final road match of the regular season on Sunday at 1 p.m. against Butler at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Keep up with the Marquette University women's volleyball program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteVB) and Instagram (@MarquetteVB) and 'liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteVolleyball).