Volleyball looking for consistency in play

By Scott Mueller

Asst. Sports Editor

The Xavier volleyball team dropped a tough match to George Washington this past week, but rebounded with a sweep of Charlotte.

On Friday, Oct. 23, the Musketeers traveled to the nation’s capital to take on George Washington (18-7, 5-3 A-10). The match was close the entire time. Only one set was decided by more than three points, and two sets went into extra points.

The Colonials drew first blood, taking the first set, 28-26. However the Musketeers were able to bounce back right away, taking the next set, 25-23.

George Washington took the third. In the fourth set, the only one not decided by three or less points, the Musketeers showed that they had the potential to dominate the match, winning 25-11.

“Right now that’s our problem, sometimes we get in our own way. We have to just allow ourselves to be good and go play like that,” head coach Floyd Deaton said.

The fifth and deciding set again went into extra points. The Colonials put the set away 18-16, and won the match, 3-2. The win was George Washington’s first win over Xavier since 2002.

“They played a little harder than us,” Deaton said. “It was a big match for them.”

Senior Lauren Kaminsky recorded a career high 23 kills for the Musketeers. Freshman Stephanie Vorherr also posted a career high 30 digs.

On Sunday, Oct. 25, the Musketeers traveled to Charlotte to take on the 49ers. The Muskies rebounded from the GW loss nicely by sweeping away Charlotte.

Xavier controlled the match the entire time.

Not once did the Musketeers allow the 49ers to have more than a one point lead, winning the match 25-12, 25-18, 25-15.

Xavier was able to control the match despite not having two starters, senior Hillary Otte and sophomore Michelle Matia.

“We played like I knew we could play,” Deaton said.

This past week, Vorherr earned her third A-10 Defensive Player of the Week award and first A-10 Rookie of the Week. Vorherr had 30 digs in the match against GW and 18 against Charlotte.

“It’s not just her technique, it’s her ability to be in the right place [that makes her a great player], and those are things that you almost can’t teach,” said Deaton.

“Not only is she a skilled player, but she has a knack for the game,” Deaton said. “She kind of knows where they’re going to hit the ball.”

Vorherr and the Muskies will have their hands full this Friday, Oct. 30 when they welcome Dayton to Cintas Center. Dayton has already beaten the Musketeers once this season, 3-2 at Dayton.

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Men’s soccer drops two

By Scott Mueller

Asst. Sports Editor

The Xavier University men’s soccer team dropped two more A-10 matches this past week. The offense has been absent in almost every conference game this season.

On Friday, Oct. 23, the Musketeers traveled to Washington, D.C. to take on A-10 foe George Washington.

The Colonials’ Seth Rudolph scored two goals as the Musketeers lost 2-0.

Rudolph’s first goal came only two minutes into the game.

Xavier received a penalty shot 27 seconds after GW’s first goal. However, junior Andy Dimbi’s shot was saved by the Colonials’ goalkeeper.

Rudolph’s second goal came just 13 minutes after his first, giving GW a 2-0 lead.

The lead proved to be insurmountable for the Musketeers.

Although the Muskies had several chances to score, they never capitalized. The Musketeers had eight shots on goal in the game.

Freshman Justin Marshall made six saves in the losing effort.

Two days later, on Oct. 25, the Musketeers fell to Richmond, 2-1, again allowing an opponent to score two goals in the match, this time sophomore Ben Brewster.

For the second match in a row, the Muskies allowed a goal just two minutes into the game. This time, however, the Musketeers were able to equalize the score.

Senior Jake Vollmer took advantage of a Richmond defensive miscue and scored less than a minute later. The goal was Vollmer’s third of the season.

The score remained tied until the 81st minute when Brewster scored his second goal of the game. The loss dropped the Muskies record to 2-10-1 overall and 1-5-0 in the A-10.

Xavier has been shut out in four of six conference games.

On Friday, Oct. 30, the Musketeers will play host to the Saint Louis University Billikens at 7 p.m.

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One up, one down for XU

By Jocelyn Taylor

Staff Writer

The Xavier women’s soccer team split a pair of weekend games with a 2-1 win over the University of Massachusetts and a 4-0 loss to Rhode Island.

In the Oct. 23 contest against UMass at the Xavier Soccer Complex, the Musketeers came out fired up to revenge a disappointing 0-2 road trip from the previous weekend.

They consistently attacked the goal and it got physical—the referees were allowing elbowing and jostling to occur in the box.

A fair bit of that action occurred in front of the Xavier goal, as senior goalkeeper Kelly Farrell made two sprawling saves to keep UMass scoreless through the first 77 minutes.

Farrell’s efforts were soon rewarded, as senior Brittany Green scored the first Musketeer goal off an assist from reserve sophomore Chelsea Burns.

After the Minutemen responded 23 minutes later, the game remained tied at one until five minutes into the overtime period.

On the first possession of the extra period Green struck a ball toward the left side of the goal, where UMass freshman goalkeeper Emily Cota made a save, but then fumbled the ball into the net for the deciding goal.

Xavier effort was aided by the return of Burns from dizzy spells and freshman Kelsey Phillips from a leg injury.

“This game is long coming,” head coach Alvin Alexander said. “We’ve played hard all year. To have those guys back from injury helps us greatly. Our senior group was able to step it up for us. We’re moving in the right direction with this program.”

Alexander and his program celebrated Senior Night two days later, with all six seniors getting a chance to start.

What started as a celebratory, warm, sunny afternoon soon turned to dismay for the Musketeers, as tough calls and unlucky bounces conspired to spell a 4-0 defeat to the Rams.

The bad breaks began early, with a Rhode Island shot slipping through Farrell’s hands.

After another Rams goal, Xavier paid for a questionable foul on senior Lauren Nutini when Rhode Island converted on a set-play, the third of four first-half scores for Rhode Island.

The final game for the Musketeers (3-14-1) will be Saturday, Oct. 31 at Dayton.

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