<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=24IScQ_0wEelxWR00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=24IScQ_0wEelxWR00" width="1200" height="630" >No. 6 ranked Creighton volleyball returned to D.J. Sokol Arena on Friday night to face the Xavier Musketeers. Fresh off a 3-0 road trip to Butler, Villanova, and St. John’s, the Big East conference leaders took care of business, securing a clean sweep over the Musketeers.The Jays extended their perfect 7-0 record in Big East play with the win, improving to 16-2 on the season, while Xavier fell to 6-11 and 4-3 in the conference.Despite dropping the first point of the match, the Bluejays quickly found their rhythm. Senior libero Maddy Bilinovic led a 5-0 run, including a kill from senior middle blocker Kiara Reinhardt, a block from Reinhardt and senior outside hitter Norah Sis, and an ace from Bilinovic.Creighton cruised to a 25-14 victory in the first set, powered by seven kills from Sis. Redshirt freshman Jaya Johnson added four kills, while Bilinovic, junior Ava Martin, and freshman Alivia Hausmann each recorded a service ace.Xavier responded in the second set, briefly leading 13-12, but the Bluejays reclaimed momentum after a timeout, going on a three-point run to take control. Martin recorded six kills in the set, while Hausmann’s back-to-back aces helped Creighton pull away for a 25-19 win to claim the second set.“I thought Xavier played better…. Some of their players got momentum and had some big kills. And then I thought, I think we got aced once or twice an made some unforced errors, so it just wasn’t as clean as the first set,” Head Coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth said.The third set saw Creighton dominate down the stretch, using a 7-1 run to push the score to 22-14. Junior Sky McCune, returning to action for the first time in five weeks, made an immediate impact with an ace on her first serve back, earning match point for the Jays.Though it took Creighton five more points to close out the match, a service error by Xavier sealed the sweep.In that final set, Martin recorded a set-high 7 kills, while Reinhardt added four of her own. Bilinovic contributed eight digs, leading a strong defensive effort that stifled Xavier’s offense, holding them to a .111 hitting percentage.“Offensively, when we’re good with that first touch and getting teams out of system with our serves, it’s easier to defend balls as well as put balls away. So the big emphasis on winning serve-pass every single game helps us stay consistent,” Bilinovic said.Despite the absence of senior middle blocker Elise Goetzinger, who is third on the team in kills and currently out under concussion protocol, the Bluejays remained unfazed. Johnson, along with sophomores Ava Testrake and Destiny Ndam-Simpson, stepped up to fill the gap. Johnson tallied eight kills on the night, while Testrake and Ndam-Simpson each contributed two.“I didn’t think we skipped a beat, and I think that’s a testament to the depth of this team,” Bernthal Boot hsaid. “And, not only the depth, and I said this in [our] meetings this week, is the fact that people might not like their role, which I totally respect, but they are being great teammates and they’re working hard in practice every day and they’re staying engaged. So people are ready. Ava was ready. Destiny was ready. And I can tell you, I have other people on the bench that they’re ready. We have been really fortunate that this team has stayed together and been about the team.”Martin finished the night with 15 kills, hitting .457 with only one error. The Kansas native has been incredibly consistent for the Jays, recording just one error in each of her last four matches while hitting .281 on the season.“I just feel really confident going up…,” Martin said. “When I’m playing, I am kind of locked in the zone and just worrying about doing what is best for the team and swinging aggressive for them…. When I’m going up, Kendra always yells ‘Go for it.’ So it’s the little things like that that just give me confidence.”Martin and the rest of the Jays will look to continue this momentum as they head into the program’s 17th Annual Pink Out match against DePaul this afternoon. The team will sport the color pink, hoping to raise awareness of breast cancer and other cancers.“It’s just a great reminder of why we are playing, like there is something bigger going on,” Martin said. “There’s so many people on this team that personally know people that have gone through this, so I think it’s such a special day to honor all those people.”</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Bluejays sweep Xavier to remain unbeaten in Big East play

No. 6 ranked Creighton volleyball returned to D.J. Sokol Arena on Friday night to face the Xavier Musketeers. Fresh off a 3-0 road trip to Butler, Villanova, and St. John’s, the Big East conference leaders took care of business, securing a clean sweep over the Musketeers. The Jays extended...