Match Notes   |   Facebook Live vs. Duquesne
 
Live Stats vs. Evansville   |   Live Stats vs. Duquesne  |  Live Stats vs. Ball State
 
INDIANAPOLIS – Butler and Ball State will co-host a tournament this weekend. The tournament field includes the Bulldogs, the Cardinals, the Duquesne Dukes and the Evansville Purple Aces. BU will host three matches inside Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday. Fans are encouraged to park in the parking garage on campus and enter through Gate 1 of Hinkle Fieldhouse.
 
Full Tournament Schedule
Thursday, September 14: Evansville at Ball State - 7 PM (ESPN 3)
Friday, September 15: Butler vs. Evansville - 5 PM
Friday, September 15: Duquesne at Ball State - 7 PM (ESPN 3)
Saturday, September 16: Duquesne at Butler - 12 PM (Facebook Live)
Saturday, September 16: Duquesne vs. Evansville - 4 PM
Saturday, September 16: Ball State at Butler - 7 PM
 
Bulldog Bits
- Ball State will host the first two days of competition (9/14, 9/15), BU will host 9/16
- The first two matches of the day on Saturday will feature free admission
- Please visit Gate 1 at Hinkle Fieldhouse for ticket sales between BU and BSU
- Beck, Takeda and Lilly made the Golden Flashes Classic All-Tournament Team
- Beck was named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week (9/12)
- Beck has recorded a double-double in all nine matches this year
- Beck notched 17 kills against College of Charleston her 2nd highest total this year
- Lilly hit .417 at Kent State by recording 12 kills on just 24 attempts
- Takeda averaged 6.50 digs per set last week in the Golden Flashes Classic
- Butler recorded a season-high 10 service aces vs. College of Charleston
- Butler has 108 total blocks this season, their opponents have been limited to 48
- Butler leads the all-time series against Evansville 19-6... Last meeting in 2006
- BU leads the all-time series over Duquesne 2-1... Last meeting in 1992
- Ball State leads Butler in the all-time series 17-5... BU beat BSU 3-0 last year
 
Scouting Evansville
The Purple Aces head into the weekend with a 6-3 overall record, but they have dropped three of their last four matches after opening the year on a five-match winning streak. In order to get back on track, Evansville will need a good weekend out of Rachel Tam, the team's top offensive weapon. Tam has 122 kills on the year, averaging 3.30 per set. Winning five-straight at the start of the season was significant as the Purple Aces were limited to just five total wins during the 2016 campaign. The program returned all five starters from that team including the libero.
 
About Duquesne
The Dukes are 4-7 on the year with three of their four wins coming on their home court. They started the season 0-3 and head into the weekend on yet another 3-0 skid. Duquesne didn't win a set last week in the Nike Classic hosted by #14 Oregon. That tournament field also included #23 Wichita State. The top offensive option for the Dukes is Maria Mosbacher, a freshman outside hitter who is averaging 3.62 kills per set. The Dukes won 18 games last year and returned four starters.
 
Scouting Ball State
The Cardinals are 6-3 at the start of the year with four of their nine matches coming against in-state rivals. BSU picked up wins over Indiana State (3-0) and Fort Wayne (3-0), but lost to Indiana (0-3) and IUPUI (2-3). Their top offensive weapon is First Team All-MAC selection Brooklyn Goodsel. The junior outside hitter leads the team with 101 kills on the year (3.16 per set). Home court advantage could come into play this weekend as the Cardinals are currently undefeated at Worthern Arena.
 
Beck Named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week
Named the Tournament MVP of the Golden Flashes Classic, Butler outside hitter Whitney Beck averaged a league-best 6.42 points and 5.17 kills per set with 4.0 digs per set and four aces as she posted a pair of double-double performances in wins over College of Charleston and Kent State. Beck recorded 14 kills, 13 digs, four blocks and two service aces on Friday against host Kent State and followed that effort with 17 kills, 11 digs and two service aces in the win over College of Charleston. Butler did not drop a set over the weekend.
 
Bulldogs Can Block
Butler has 108 total blocks heading into the weekend. Their high level of play at the net defensively has the opposition hitting just .162 on the year. Compare that to the tournament field. Ball State and Evansville are close to each other in terms of total blocks with 75 and 69 respectively. Duquesne on the other hand only has 39 total blocks. BU freshman middle blocker Rachel Klitzing has 49.
 
Klitzing Ties BU History
Rachel Klitzing recorded 14 blocks against Robert Morris, finishing the match just three shy of the school record. Her 12 block assists against the Colonials ties the BU single-match record. Butler ended the five-set match against Robert Morris with 20.5 team blocks, tying the fourth-highest total in school history.
 
Ace... Bulldogs
Butler recorded a season-high 10 service aces in the 3-0 sweep over College of Charleston. The last time BU went for 10 aces or more was last year at Ball State (9/7/16). Butler swept Ball State and ended the match with 11 service aces, seven of which belonged to libero Taylor Takeda. Seven service aces in one match by a single player is just two shy of the BU school record, set by Laura Baire in 1995.
 
Beck Doubles Up
Redshirt Junior Whitney Beck now has more double-double games over the first nine games of the 2017 season than she recorded during the entire 2016 campaign. A year ago she finished third on the team with eight double-doubles.
 
Up Next
The 2017 BIG EAST home opener will feature Butler hosting Marquette on Wednesday, September 20. First serve is slated for 7 PM.