Two Butler players recorded double-doubles Friday night but it wasn't enough as the Butler volleyball team fell 3-1 (16-25, 25-23, 23-25, 21-25) to Xavier at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Belle Obert picked up a double-double with 14 kills and 16 digs while Makayla Ferguson contributed 28 assists and 17 digs for the Bulldogs. Jadyn Yarling and Brooke Ruffolo made their presence felt defensively for Butler, contributing 15 and 10 digs, respectively.

Xavier's Abbey Bessler put on an impressive performance for the Musketeers, earning a double-double by making 22 kills and 11 digs.

Butler took an early 4-2 lead in the first set until Xavier went on a 17-3 run, to take a 19-7 lead. A kill by Erica Stahl put an end to the run as the Bulldogs went on to score eight of the next 10 points to cut the Musketeers' lead to 21-15. However, Xavier was ultimately able to hold off Butler to take the first set 25-16.

The Bulldogs immediately bounced back to open the second set with a 12-1 lead thanks to kills by Obert and Stephanie Kranda, along with a pair of aces by Makayla Ferguson and Obert. The Musketeers answered with a 9-3 run of their own to cut the Butler lead to 15-10. Kills by Bessler helped Xavier narrow the gap to as little as two points at 18-16. The teams alternated scores for the next several possessions until the Bulldogs stretched the lead to 24-20. With the set on the line, the Musketeers scored three straight points to cut the gap to 24-23. Kayla Bivins was able to make the set-winning kill to deliver Butler a 25-23 win in set two and tie the match at 1-1.

Xavier began set three with four straight points, but Butler quickly ended the run by scoring the next three points. The Musketeers countered and took four of the next five points to gain an 8-4 lead. The Bulldogs kept Xavier from taking a decisive advantage as they once again cut the gap to 10-9. After the Musketeers got out to the largest lead of the set at 15-10, the Bulldogs rebounded to score seven of the next nine points to even the set at 17-17.

A pair of kills by Bessler helped give Xavier a 20-17 lead. Butler twice cut the deficit to one point during the final moments of the set with a Natalie Meert ace bringing the score to 22-21 and kills by Bivins and Obert to make the score 24-23. The Musketeers won set three 25-23 after a ball handing error by the Bulldogs gave Xavier the win and a 2-1 advantage in the match.

Set four was played tightly as neither team was able to take the lead for long in the set's early stages. The score was tied 13 times during the fourth set and neither team held more than a two point advantage until Xavier scored five straight points to gain a 21-17 lead. The Bulldogs were able to cut the lead to 23-21 but kills by Xavier's Aubree Smith and Alex Blair clinched set four for the Musketeers, 25-21 and gave Xavier a 3-1 victory in the match.

The Bulldogs will be back in action next Friday (Nov. 21) afternoon for a 12 p.m. match against Providence at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Contact:  Austin Monteith (amonteit@butler.edu)