Nov. 17, 2007

Box Score

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Second-seeded Xavier (23-8) used the momentum from wins in games three and four to roll to a 30-24, 34-32, 26-30, 23-30, 15-7 win over third-seeded Saint Louis (23-7) in the semifinals of the 2007 Atlantic 10 Volleyball Championship at Halton Arena in Charlotte, N.C. on Saturday evening. A-10 Setter of the Year Whitney Roth posted a double-double with 64 assists and a career-high 17 digs for the Billikens, while A-10 first-teamer Sammi McCloud also had a double-double with a match-high 21 kills and 14 digs.

"Obviously it is disappointing to be on the losing end of one of the greatest matches SLU has ever played in," SLU head coach Anne Kordes said. "But we have to give Xavier a lot of credit. They picked up their defense and were tough on the serve receive after losing the first two games. It really came down to a ball-control game.

"This conference has taken a step up in the level of competition, and that is what we want. It's always going to be a battle when the top four teams in the league step on the court."

Neither squad led by more than two points in the opening game until the Musketeers scored three straight times on an ace and a two Billiken mistakes for a 14-11 edge. SLU came right back with the aide of a kill and a block from Sally Warning and four of Bridget Fonke's game-high seven kills for a 19-18 advantage. XU pulled within one twice more before Saint Louis scored three consecutive points on kills from Roth and Warning and another Warning block for a 24-20 lead. Xavier cut the lead to 26-24 on a pair of SLU miscues but the Musketeers committed two hitting errors as the Bills, who hit .400 with just four hitting errors, took game one.

After Saint Louis put together a five-point run for a 13-9 advantage, XU outside hitter Hillary Otte single-handedly kept the Musketeers in the game with four straight kills to cut the margin to 14-12. However, the Bills rallied with a six-point run on a pair of blocks and kills from Warning and Lauren Christman for the 18-12 lead. Xavier continued to chip away at the SLU lead eventually knotting the score at 28-28 on consecutive kills. The teams then tied at points 29 through 32 before one of Warning's game-high seven kills and a Musketeer hitting error gave the Billikens the 34-32 victory.

Xavier held the early lead in game three before SLU took its first lead at 10-9 on a Fonke kill. However, the Musketeers went right back in front and maintained the lead until Sutton Lasater tallied a kill and Whitney Behrens had a service ace for the 14-13 edge. SLU went up by as many as three points before XU came charging back to even things up at 22-22. The Musketeers were in the driver's seat from there as A-10 Player of the Year Jill Quayle turned in three kills and contributed to a pair of blocks for the 27-23 advantage. SLU scored on a block and kills from McCloud and Fonke but Otte powered Xavier to the win.

The Musketeers had all the momentum in game four, scoring on seven straight kills after SLU turned in the first two points for a 7-2 edge. Xavier's lead did not dip below three points until McCloud posted back-to-back kills to cut the Musketeer lead to 22-20. Saint Louis then got as close as two just once more as XU rolled to the win after hitting at a .373 clip with just two hitting errors.

The Billikens fell behind 6-3 in game five as XU scored on a SLU hitting error, a kill and a service ace. Saint Louis never got any closer than two points as all the breaks went Xavier's way en route to the 15-7 victory.

McCloud, who had a career-best 72 swings, led four Billikens in double-figure kills with 21 while Lasater turned in 16, Fonke had 15 and Warning added a career-high tying 14. SLU also had five players with double-digit digs led by Behrens' 20 in addition to Roth's and McCloud's 17 and 14, respectively. Chrissy King added a season-high 11 while Megan Boken posted a career-best 16. The Bills also posted season highs in attempts (221) and digs (94).