Friday, November 24
Milwaukee, Wis.
12:30 PM
Creighton University
24-6
3
vs
0
Villanova (Semifinal)
18-12
1
2
3
F
Villanova
20
22
19
0
Creighton
25
25
25
3
Marysa Wilkinson
Photo by: John Konstantaras
Volleyball Sweeps Villanova in BIG EAST Tourney Semifinal
11/24/2017 2:07:00 PM | Volleyball
Bluejays will seek fourth straight BIG EAST Tournament title tomorrow
MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- The No. 17 Creighton Volleyball team will play for a fourth straight BIG EAST Championships title after a 3-0 win over Villanova on Friday afternoon at Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, Wis. Taryn Kloth led Creighton with 14 kills on .483 hitting in the victory.
Scores of the match were 25-20, 25-22, 25-19.
With the win, Creighton (24-6) will advance to Saturday's 1:30 p.m. finals on FS2 against second-seeded Marquette. The Bluejays have won three straight league tournament titles and are attempting to become the first team to win four straight crowns since Notre Dame from 1995-98. The host Golden Eagles won the second semifinal over Butler in four sets for its first BIG EAST Championships victory since the 2013 title match.
Trailing 4-3 early, Creighton used an 8-2 run that saw Villanova blow through both their timeouts after the Jays took an 11-6 lead. Creighton's lead would reach as large as 19-11 before the Wildcats closed within four at 19-15. Creighton would hang on to win a 25-20 decision as Lydia Dimke and Marysa Wilkinson blocked Darcy Wolf on set point. Creighton had a 17-10 lead in blocks, 18-14 lead in digs and 3-0 lead in blocks during the opening frame, with Jaali Winters and Taryn Kloth leading CU with four kills each.
The second set was closer, but Creighton pulled away midway through the frame on a 3-0 serving run by Megan Ballenger that included an ace from the sophomore to give CU a 15-12 lead. The Bluejays lead dwindled to two at 22-20 and 24-22, before BIG EAST aces leader Allie Loitz served into the net to give CU the set. CU hit .300 in the set, as four different Bluejays had multiple kills.
Kloth took over the third set with six kills as Creighton pulled ahead 16-12. A kill from Dimke ended the match for CU's 13th victory in its last 14 contests.
Kloth led all players with 14 kills in 29 errorless swings, hitting .483. Winters had a double-double with 11 kills and 14 digs and Alexa Roumeliotis added 11 digs in her BIG EAST Championships debut. Creighton hit .349 with 49 kills, four aces, 47 digs and six blocks.
Villanova (18-12) was paced by 11 kills from Loitz. Allison Fitzgerald topped the Wildcats with 11 digs. VU hit .222 and finished with 37 kills, three aces, 41 digs and four blocks.
NOTES: Creighton's 105 wins since 2014 is the most for any four-year stretch in program history. Marysa Wilkinson has played in 104 of those victories, tying her with Lauren Smith (2013-16) for the most of any player in school history ... Creighton improved to 29-2 in the month of November during the last four seasons ... Creighton will be appearing in its seventh conference tournament title game in program history, all in the last eight years, and sixth straight. Creighton is 4-2 in the previous six title game appearances, including a 3-1 mark since joining the BIG EAST in the summer of 2013 ... Creighton has won 40 straight matches when winning the first set, while Villanova has lost 15 straight when dropping the first set ... Creighton freshman Naomi Hickman tied her season-high with nine kills ... Creighton improved to 99-0 under Kirsten Bernthal Booth when hitting .300 or better ... The victory improved Creighton's unofficial RPI from 15th to 12th.
Scores of the match were 25-20, 25-22, 25-19.
With the win, Creighton (24-6) will advance to Saturday's 1:30 p.m. finals on FS2 against second-seeded Marquette. The Bluejays have won three straight league tournament titles and are attempting to become the first team to win four straight crowns since Notre Dame from 1995-98. The host Golden Eagles won the second semifinal over Butler in four sets for its first BIG EAST Championships victory since the 2013 title match.
Trailing 4-3 early, Creighton used an 8-2 run that saw Villanova blow through both their timeouts after the Jays took an 11-6 lead. Creighton's lead would reach as large as 19-11 before the Wildcats closed within four at 19-15. Creighton would hang on to win a 25-20 decision as Lydia Dimke and Marysa Wilkinson blocked Darcy Wolf on set point. Creighton had a 17-10 lead in blocks, 18-14 lead in digs and 3-0 lead in blocks during the opening frame, with Jaali Winters and Taryn Kloth leading CU with four kills each.
The second set was closer, but Creighton pulled away midway through the frame on a 3-0 serving run by Megan Ballenger that included an ace from the sophomore to give CU a 15-12 lead. The Bluejays lead dwindled to two at 22-20 and 24-22, before BIG EAST aces leader Allie Loitz served into the net to give CU the set. CU hit .300 in the set, as four different Bluejays had multiple kills.
Kloth took over the third set with six kills as Creighton pulled ahead 16-12. A kill from Dimke ended the match for CU's 13th victory in its last 14 contests.
Kloth led all players with 14 kills in 29 errorless swings, hitting .483. Winters had a double-double with 11 kills and 14 digs and Alexa Roumeliotis added 11 digs in her BIG EAST Championships debut. Creighton hit .349 with 49 kills, four aces, 47 digs and six blocks.
Villanova (18-12) was paced by 11 kills from Loitz. Allison Fitzgerald topped the Wildcats with 11 digs. VU hit .222 and finished with 37 kills, three aces, 41 digs and four blocks.
NOTES: Creighton's 105 wins since 2014 is the most for any four-year stretch in program history. Marysa Wilkinson has played in 104 of those victories, tying her with Lauren Smith (2013-16) for the most of any player in school history ... Creighton improved to 29-2 in the month of November during the last four seasons ... Creighton will be appearing in its seventh conference tournament title game in program history, all in the last eight years, and sixth straight. Creighton is 4-2 in the previous six title game appearances, including a 3-1 mark since joining the BIG EAST in the summer of 2013 ... Creighton has won 40 straight matches when winning the first set, while Villanova has lost 15 straight when dropping the first set ... Creighton freshman Naomi Hickman tied her season-high with nine kills ... Creighton improved to 99-0 under Kirsten Bernthal Booth when hitting .300 or better ... The victory improved Creighton's unofficial RPI from 15th to 12th.
Team Stats
VU
CU
Kills
37
49
Errors
13
12
Attempts
108
106
Hitting %
.222
.349
Points
44.0
59.0
Assists
37
42
Aces
3
4
Blocks
4.0
6.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
11
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Players Mentioned
MB/RS
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballMB/RS
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
DS
/ VolleyballMB/RS
/ VolleyballOH
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