Volleyball Begins 2021 Spring Season at Xavier

CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Marshall volleyball team is set to start its 2021 spring schedule at Xavier on Sunday at 3 p.m., from the Cintas Center.

After the 2020 fall season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, second year head coach Ari Aganus finally gets to bring her team on the court after waiting 435 days from the final match of the 2019 season.

Xavier begins the year 1-0 after defeating Bellarmine on the road, 3-1, Saturday.

Match Details
Live Stats: SIDEARM
Live Video: Xavier All-Access (stream is free)
Series History: 18th all-time meeting – Xavier leads 12-5
Last Meeting: Sept. 4, 2007 in Huntington – Marshall won 3-0.

Marshall was picked to finish second in the East Division in the Conference USA Preseason Coaches' Poll and look to build on a great year in coach Aganus' first season. The Herd finished the year 18-10 including winning the final six matches of the regular season to earn the No. 4 seed in the C-USA Tournament.

Coach Aganus sports a team mixed with experienced returners, transfers and new faces. Redshirt senior Ciara Debell was named to the Preseason All-Conference squad after leading the Herd with 422 kills and averaging 4.18 kills per set in 2019. Joining Debell in the senior class is setter Sydney Lostumo who recorded 472 assists in 2019 in Marshall's two-setter rotation, and middle blocker Destiny Leon who exploded last year defensively with 132 blocks. Leon was second in the conference with 1.29 blocks per set, good for 36th in the NCAA, and helped the Herd lead the league and rank 12th in the nation in blocks per set (2.80).

Marshall's other returners are juniors Sarah Schank (235 kills) and Zoie Holley, and sophomores Megan Taylor (30 total blocks) and Meagan Camden.

Transfers joining the Herd Family this season are junior Macy McElhaney (WVU), redshirt sophomore Hayley Delor and redshirt freshman Olivia Fogo. The freshman class consists of Dominique Turner, Alyssa Evans, Riley Winslow and Anna Calcagno.

Opponent
In the win over Bellarmine, Xavier was led by Maryann O'Toole and Delaney Hogan with 12 kills each. Lauren Hanlon, who was named to the Preseason All-Big East team, finished with seven kills. Carrigan O'Reilly tallied 38 assists and 11 digs. The Musketeers hit .227 for the match and totaled 13 blocks.

Xavier finished the 2019 season with an 11-17 record. The Musketeers return its top two leaders in kills last season in Hanlon (255) and Moriah Hopkins (214). Xavier used a two-setter rotation in 2019 and both players are back with O'Reilly (596 assists) and Ailsa Watson (461). Junior middle blocker Jayda Carlton led the team in blocks last season with 127 and began this year with six at Bellarmine.

Head coach Christy Pfeffenberger is in her sixth season at the helm and picked up her 73rd career win on Saturday.

Up Next
Marshall begins Conference USA action as Charlotte comes to Huntington, Feb. 7-8. Both matches are set for 1 p.m. The league schedule for the upcoming season will feature the same changes that are in place with conference men's and women's basketball. Each team will host three opponents for a two-match series in back-to-back days, and travel to three different opponents for a two-match series. League matches will played on Sundays and Mondays.

For all the latest information about Marshall volleyball, follow @HerdVolleyball on Twitter and Marshall University Volleyball on Facebook.

To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!

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Players Mentioned

Anna Calcagno

Meagan Camden

Ciara DeBell

Hayley Delor

Alyssa Evans

Olivia Fogo

Zoie Holley

Destiny Leon

Sydney Lostumo

Macy McElhaney

Sarah Schank

Megan Taylor

Riley Winslow

Marshall University Athletics