Friday, September 26
D.J. Sokol Arena
7:00 PM
Creighton University
9-6, 2-0BIG EAST
3
vs
1
Butler (Senior Night)
8-5, 0-1BIG EAST
1
2
3
4
F
Butler
24
22
25
22
1
Creighton
26
25
22
25
3
Volleyball Picks Up Senior Night Win Over Butler
9/26/2014 10:36:00 PM | Volleyball
OMAHA, Neb. -- Celebrating Senior Night in late September, Creighton Volleyball improved to 9-6 with its third straight win, a 3-1 victory over Butler on Friday night before 1,173 fans in Omaha. Scores in favor of CU were 26-24, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22.
The Bluejays also improved to first place in the BIG EAST with a 2-0 mark, while Butler (8-5) dropped its league opener in a battle of teams entering their second season as conference rivals.
The Bluejays got 50 kills from its senior quartet of Leah McNary (20), Katie Neisler (16), Kelli Browning (12) and Michelle Sicner (2). Neisler had a career-best with 16 kills, adding 17 digs for her first career double-double, while McNary topped 20 kills at home for the first time since her sophomore year.
The first two sets were closely contested, with the hosts coming out on top in both. Creighton never trailed in the opener, but the Bulldogs hung tough to even the score at 18-all, 20-all and 24-all after saving three set points. Neisler gave CU a 25-24 lead with a kill, and Browning and junior setter Maggie Baumert sealed the set with a stuff of Stephanie Kranda. CU got 18 assists from Baumert in the set.
Butler led most of the second set, with the lone lead change coming when Creighton went ahead 19-18 on a kill by Browning. Sicner made her first appearance in two weeks with the 19-18 lead and provided an immediate spark, combining with Browning on a kill to give CU a two-point edge. Sicner later added a kill to make it 22-20, and would set up McNary's set-clinching kill. Kate Elman had 12 of her season-best 30 digs in the second frame.
Butler won the third set, 25-22, hitting .342 in an impressive offensive display. With the score deadlocked at 15-15, Butler went on a 5-0 run that was stopped only when Jess Bird put down a kill in her first swing since undergoing knee surgery following the opening weekend of the year. But it would be too little, too late, for the hosts, as BU sealed a 25-22 win on a kill by Belle Obert.
The teams were tied at 18-all late in the fourth set before CU would close the match with a 7-4 run. A kill by Browning took CU to the edge of victory, and two points later Baumert called her own number for the clincher.
McNary tied her season-high with 20 kills while playing in front of her parents for the first time this fall. Her .389 hitting was her best hitting efficiency since the season-opener. Neisler, who had 19 kills in her career before 2014, had 16 kills on Friday alone while eclipsing her career-best for a second straight Friday night. Neisler's 17 digs were also a season-best. Baumert had 52 assists and tied a career-best with 14 digs for her third double-double as a Bluejay.
Elman's 30 digs were a season-high for CU, and the second time in her career she's reached that plateau. She now stands 13 digs shy of the Creighton career mark (1,392) held by Janeen Piller.
CU had 73 kills, one ace, 91 digs and 11 blocks on .278 hitting overall, while Butler finished with 59 kills, two aces, 62 digs and 10 blocks on .246 hitting. CU's totals for kills and digs were both season-highs.
BU was paced by 19 kills from Obert, who needed 66 swings to hit .258. Kranda had 16 kills and Jessica Klingensmith provided 10 kills for the visitors. Jadyn Yarling added a team-best 18 digs for the Bulldog defense.
Creighton returns to action Sunday at 1 pm with a home match vs. Xavier.
NOTES: The night was also Colon Cancer Awareness Night in honor of Cheryl Sicner, who passed away on Sept. 5 after a long battle with the disease. The teams had a moment of silence before the match ... Creighton's three straight wins matches a season-high ... Creighton has won 67 straight matches when up 2-0 at intermission ... Creighton has won 53 straight matches when up 2-1 after three sets ... Creighton has won 39 straight home matches when winning the first set ... Creighton has won 16 straight matches when hitting .250 or better and 13 straight when finishing with a better hitting percentage than its opponent ... Creighton honored manager Neisler, McNary, Sicner and Browning after the match, along with manager Katie Thompson, as part of Senior Night.
The Bluejays also improved to first place in the BIG EAST with a 2-0 mark, while Butler (8-5) dropped its league opener in a battle of teams entering their second season as conference rivals.
The Bluejays got 50 kills from its senior quartet of Leah McNary (20), Katie Neisler (16), Kelli Browning (12) and Michelle Sicner (2). Neisler had a career-best with 16 kills, adding 17 digs for her first career double-double, while McNary topped 20 kills at home for the first time since her sophomore year.
The first two sets were closely contested, with the hosts coming out on top in both. Creighton never trailed in the opener, but the Bulldogs hung tough to even the score at 18-all, 20-all and 24-all after saving three set points. Neisler gave CU a 25-24 lead with a kill, and Browning and junior setter Maggie Baumert sealed the set with a stuff of Stephanie Kranda. CU got 18 assists from Baumert in the set.
Butler led most of the second set, with the lone lead change coming when Creighton went ahead 19-18 on a kill by Browning. Sicner made her first appearance in two weeks with the 19-18 lead and provided an immediate spark, combining with Browning on a kill to give CU a two-point edge. Sicner later added a kill to make it 22-20, and would set up McNary's set-clinching kill. Kate Elman had 12 of her season-best 30 digs in the second frame.
Butler won the third set, 25-22, hitting .342 in an impressive offensive display. With the score deadlocked at 15-15, Butler went on a 5-0 run that was stopped only when Jess Bird put down a kill in her first swing since undergoing knee surgery following the opening weekend of the year. But it would be too little, too late, for the hosts, as BU sealed a 25-22 win on a kill by Belle Obert.
The teams were tied at 18-all late in the fourth set before CU would close the match with a 7-4 run. A kill by Browning took CU to the edge of victory, and two points later Baumert called her own number for the clincher.
McNary tied her season-high with 20 kills while playing in front of her parents for the first time this fall. Her .389 hitting was her best hitting efficiency since the season-opener. Neisler, who had 19 kills in her career before 2014, had 16 kills on Friday alone while eclipsing her career-best for a second straight Friday night. Neisler's 17 digs were also a season-best. Baumert had 52 assists and tied a career-best with 14 digs for her third double-double as a Bluejay.
Elman's 30 digs were a season-high for CU, and the second time in her career she's reached that plateau. She now stands 13 digs shy of the Creighton career mark (1,392) held by Janeen Piller.
CU had 73 kills, one ace, 91 digs and 11 blocks on .278 hitting overall, while Butler finished with 59 kills, two aces, 62 digs and 10 blocks on .246 hitting. CU's totals for kills and digs were both season-highs.
BU was paced by 19 kills from Obert, who needed 66 swings to hit .258. Kranda had 16 kills and Jessica Klingensmith provided 10 kills for the visitors. Jadyn Yarling added a team-best 18 digs for the Bulldog defense.
Creighton returns to action Sunday at 1 pm with a home match vs. Xavier.
NOTES: The night was also Colon Cancer Awareness Night in honor of Cheryl Sicner, who passed away on Sept. 5 after a long battle with the disease. The teams had a moment of silence before the match ... Creighton's three straight wins matches a season-high ... Creighton has won 67 straight matches when up 2-0 at intermission ... Creighton has won 53 straight matches when up 2-1 after three sets ... Creighton has won 39 straight home matches when winning the first set ... Creighton has won 16 straight matches when hitting .250 or better and 13 straight when finishing with a better hitting percentage than its opponent ... Creighton honored manager Neisler, McNary, Sicner and Browning after the match, along with manager Katie Thompson, as part of Senior Night.
Team Stats
BU
CU
Kills
59
73
Errors
16
26
Attempts
175
169
Hitting %
.246
.278
Points
71.0
85.0
Assists
56
68
Aces
2
1
Blocks
10.0
11.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
20
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
16
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
7
Players Mentioned
S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
DS
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
S
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