Match Notes

INDIANAPOLIS – The Bulldogs will play two matches this week, beginning with a 6 p.m. home contest vs. Marian on Tuesday night. The 'Dawgs will host the Knights in midweek action and return to BIG EAST play with a single game at Xavier on Saturday.

About Butler (6-15, 3-6 BIG EAST)
The Bulldogs will entertain the Marian Knights on Tuesday and end the weekend with a Saturday road match at Xavier. After defeating Georgetown on Oct. 17, the Bulldogs moved their overall record to 6-15. Half of their wins have been recorded during the conference season with the 'Dawgs holding the upper hand against DePaul and Providence.

The Bulldogs are two-deep at nearly every position. The top outside hitters on the team include Anna Logan and Mary Striedl. The setter role has been broken down this year to include both Makayla Ferguson and Meghan Cotant and the libero role has been rotated between Kodi Smith and Aki Aitsebaomo, only to have Natalie Meert wear the jersey in the last match vs. the Hoyas.

Logan is the team leader in both kills (232) and digs (208) with Striedl close behind in kills with 230. Logan and Ferguson combine for 41 of Butler's 83 service aces on the year with Ferguson doubling as the team leader in assists with 626. At the net, Butler has a talented freshman leading the team in blocks. Bri Lilly averages 1.13 blocks per set, giving her a grand total of 95.

Scouting Marian (5-14, 3-10)
The Knights have lost four-straight matches heading into Tuesday night and now hold an overall record of 5-14. Two of Marian's five wins have been recorded during the month of October with victories over IU-East and Indiana Tech.

Frannie Stephenson is the top offensive weapon in the lineup with a team-high 237 kills to go along with 132 digs. Setting up the offensive flow will be setter Julie Hoying who averages 9.70 assists per set, giving her a grand total of 640. The digs category is headlined by Vanessa Lay (312) while the blocks category is topped by Emily Graves (40).

Scouting Xavier (10-9, 6-3 BIG EAST)
Xavier will attempt to sweep Butler in the 2015 regular season series on Saturday afternoon after already earning a 3-0 win at Butler earlier this month. The Musketeers are 10-9 overall with an impressive 6-3 conference mark. BIG EAST losses for Xavier include a 3-1 loss at DePaul, a 3-1 setback at Villanova and most recently a 3-1 loss to Creighton.

The Musketeer attack is headlined by Abbey Bessler a talented outside hitter that posted a team-high 14 kills against Butler earlier this season. Bessler leads the team with 285 kills on the season an average of 3.85 kills per set. The setter role is split between McKena Estes and Mackenzie Humm. Each student-athlete is near the team lead in service aces as well going for 20 and 15 respectively. Meredith Klare leads Xavier with 313 digs while Lauren Frilling tops the blocks category with 57.

All-Time Series
Butler leads Marian in the all-time series 18-5. The two teams have not shared the court since the 2013 season when Butler recorded a 3-0 home win over the Knights on Sept. 28. The first-ever meeting was a 3-0 win for the 'Dawgs during the 1976 season. Marian's first win over Butler came during the 1979 season.

Xavier extended their lead against Butler in the all-time series with a win over the Bulldogs on Oct. 3. With the win, the Musketeers move to 16-12 all-time against Butler. The two teams recently split the regular season series in 2014 with Butler knocking off the Musketeers at Xavier 3-2, but losing at home 3-1. The 2013 season belonged to Xavier as the Musketeers swept the regular season 3-1, 3-2. This rivalry began back in 1978 with a Xavier victory. Butler's first win in the all-time series was recorded in 1983 (3-2).

Bulldog Bits
- Anna Logan is the only player in the BIG EAST to lead the team in both kills & digs
- Bri Lilly leads the team and ranks third in the BIG EAST with 95 total blocks
- The Bulldogs are currently ranked second in the BIG EAST with 199.5 total blocks
- Butler's lone conference win on the road came in the BIG EAST Opener (Sept. 23)
- Butler leads the all-time series over Marian 18-5
- The first meeting between Butler and Marian came during the 1976 season
- Xavier leads the all-time series over Butler 16-12
- The Musketeers swept Butler at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Oct. 3
- Kodi Smith, Aki Aitsebaomo and Natalie Meert have all played libero for BU in 2015
- The Bulldogs are 4-3 in three-set matches, 1-6 in four sets and 1-6 in five sets
- Butler is a young team with only two upperclassmen (two seniors)
- Head Coach Sharon Clark has reached 20+ wins in consecutive seasons

Starting Lineup Shakeup
Only two student-athletes have started throughout all 21 matches this season as Head Coach Sharon Clark continues to move pieces around on this young roster. Outside hitter Anna Logan has been a staple to the starting unit along with fellow freshman Briana Lilly. 

Follow the Bulldogs
Visit ButlerSports.com for all you Butler volleyball information. During matches, fans are encouraged to follow along on Twitter @ButlerVB.

20 Kill Teammates
Anna Logan and Mary Striedl were fantastic against Southern Illinois going off for 21 and 20 kills respectively. The last time BU had two players' record 20 kills or more in the same match was on Aug. 28 of 2010. Jessica Wolfe posted 25 against Stephen F. Austin while teammate Maureen Bamiro added 22.

Career Day for Striedl
Mary Striedl lifted the team to a 3-2 win over DePaul in the BIG EAST opener. The senior outside hitter recorded a career-high 27 kills on just 47 swings to post a .511 attack percentage. She added four blocks and 11 digs to post her third double-double of the year.

Head Coach Sharon Clark
Sharon Clark is entering her 16th season as the head coach of the Butler women's volleyball program. Clark reached her highest win total with the program in 2013 when she guided the team to a 24-8 overall record. During her coaching tenure, Clark has delivered seven-straight winning seasons, reaching the 20 win plateau four times during that span.

Up Next
The month of October will end with a pair of conference road matches. Butler will play at Providence on Oct. 30 and then turn around for a match at St. John's on Halloween. Action against the Friars will start at 7 p.m. while the Red Storm will host Butler at 6 p.m.