Sunday, November 6
D.J. Sokol Arena
1:00 PM
Creighton University
20-6, 14-0BIG EAST
3
vs
0
Xavier
15-12, 9-5BIG EAST
1
2
3
F
Xavier
16
23
21
0
Creighton
25
25
25
3
Creighton clinched its eighth 20-win season in program history on Sunday.
Photo by: A.J. Olnes
No. 25 Volleyball Ties BIG EAST Record; Reaches 20th Win In Sweep Over Xavier
11/6/2016 3:33:00 PM | Volleyball
Creighton is third team ever to start 14-0 in BIG EAST play
OMAHA, Neb. -- The 25th-ranked Creighton Volleyball team won its 20th match of the season and tied a BIG EAST record for the best start in history with a 3-0 victory over visiting Xavier on Sunday afternoon before 1,192 fans at D.J. Sokol Arena.
Scores of the match were 25-16, 25-23, 25-21.
Creighton improved to 20-6 on the year and 14-0 in league play, matching the starts by the 2009 Notre Dame and 2006 St. John's squads for best record to begin league play ever. Xavier dropped to 15-12 and is 9-5 in league action, still good for third place.
Sophomores Taryn Kloth and Jaali Winters paced the Creighton offense on Sunday. Kloth had 16 kills on .419 hitting, while Winters supplied 12 kills on .440 hitting. Setter Lydia Dimke helped her team hit .347 on the afternoon and added 36 assists and 10 digs for her second double-double of the weekend.
Kristen Massa paced Xavier with 13 kills, while reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year Abbey Bessler was limited to nine kills and 14 digs.
The Bluejays hit .516 in the first set, smashing 17 kills on 31 swings, to roll to a 25-16 victory. Kloth connected on kills in her first six swings and had 11 in the set, while Dimke dished 16 kills and added four digs.
Creighton faced its largest deficit in league play this season while falling behind 9-2 to start the second set. After the Jays closed the gap to 10-8, Xavier went on another run to push the lead to 17-11. CU scored five straight on Dimke's serve to get within one, and finally tied the score at 19 when Lauren Smith smashed down an overpass. With the score knotted at 22-all, two kills from Kloth and another by Dimke finished off the Musketeers as CU took a 2-0 lead into the locker room.
Creighton led nearly the entire third set, but had to hold off a late challenge from Xavier that cut into CU's 15-9 lead. The Muskies got within 17-15 to force a Bluejay timeout, only to serve it into the net after the break. Senior Amanda Foje then checked in for the only time all night and got CU some breathing room with three straight points as CU built a 21-15 lead. A kill from Winters closed out the afternoon sweep, CU's 11th league sweep in 14 BIG EAST matches.
Creighton has four matches left, all at home, starting with next Friday night's 6 pm match against Providence. The Bluejays can clinch at least a share of its third straight BIG EAST title with a victory over the Friars.
NOTES: Creighton improved to 10-0 all-time against Xavier, including four sweeps ... Creighton's 16 sweeps this season extend its school record ... Creighton has won 36 of its last 37 sets at home in BIG EAST play ... Creighton's 14-match win streak is the fourth-longest active win streak ... Creighton has won 11 straight November matches ... Creighton entered the season one of 25 schools with four straight 20-win seasons ... Creighton has won 17 straight home matches against BIG EAST competition ... Creighton has won 88 straight matches when hitting .300 or better ... Lauren Smith moved into second in school history in sets played (473) and is tied for third with 128 matches played and wins appeared in (95) ... Lydia Dimke now owns 12 double-doubles this year, most on the team.
Scores of the match were 25-16, 25-23, 25-21.
Creighton improved to 20-6 on the year and 14-0 in league play, matching the starts by the 2009 Notre Dame and 2006 St. John's squads for best record to begin league play ever. Xavier dropped to 15-12 and is 9-5 in league action, still good for third place.
Sophomores Taryn Kloth and Jaali Winters paced the Creighton offense on Sunday. Kloth had 16 kills on .419 hitting, while Winters supplied 12 kills on .440 hitting. Setter Lydia Dimke helped her team hit .347 on the afternoon and added 36 assists and 10 digs for her second double-double of the weekend.
Kristen Massa paced Xavier with 13 kills, while reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year Abbey Bessler was limited to nine kills and 14 digs.
The Bluejays hit .516 in the first set, smashing 17 kills on 31 swings, to roll to a 25-16 victory. Kloth connected on kills in her first six swings and had 11 in the set, while Dimke dished 16 kills and added four digs.
Creighton faced its largest deficit in league play this season while falling behind 9-2 to start the second set. After the Jays closed the gap to 10-8, Xavier went on another run to push the lead to 17-11. CU scored five straight on Dimke's serve to get within one, and finally tied the score at 19 when Lauren Smith smashed down an overpass. With the score knotted at 22-all, two kills from Kloth and another by Dimke finished off the Musketeers as CU took a 2-0 lead into the locker room.
Creighton led nearly the entire third set, but had to hold off a late challenge from Xavier that cut into CU's 15-9 lead. The Muskies got within 17-15 to force a Bluejay timeout, only to serve it into the net after the break. Senior Amanda Foje then checked in for the only time all night and got CU some breathing room with three straight points as CU built a 21-15 lead. A kill from Winters closed out the afternoon sweep, CU's 11th league sweep in 14 BIG EAST matches.
Creighton has four matches left, all at home, starting with next Friday night's 6 pm match against Providence. The Bluejays can clinch at least a share of its third straight BIG EAST title with a victory over the Friars.
NOTES: Creighton improved to 10-0 all-time against Xavier, including four sweeps ... Creighton's 16 sweeps this season extend its school record ... Creighton has won 36 of its last 37 sets at home in BIG EAST play ... Creighton's 14-match win streak is the fourth-longest active win streak ... Creighton has won 11 straight November matches ... Creighton entered the season one of 25 schools with four straight 20-win seasons ... Creighton has won 17 straight home matches against BIG EAST competition ... Creighton has won 88 straight matches when hitting .300 or better ... Lauren Smith moved into second in school history in sets played (473) and is tied for third with 128 matches played and wins appeared in (95) ... Lydia Dimke now owns 12 double-doubles this year, most on the team.
Team Stats
XU
CU
Kills
34
46
Errors
16
11
Attempts
96
101
Hitting %
.188
.347
Points
43.0
59.0
Assists
34
44
Aces
4
7
Blocks
5.0
6.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
16
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
4
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
S
/ Volleyball
DS
/ VolleyballOH/RS
/ VolleyballMB
/ VolleyballOH/RS
/ VolleyballCreighton Volleyball Media Availability - 9/24/25
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