MATCH NOTES
 
INDIANAPOLIS – Butler will play two road matches this week against BIG EAST competition. The first test will be at Providence on Thursday night. Opening serve goes up at 6 PM. The second match will come at #10 Creighton on Saturday night. That game also features a 6 PM start.
 
Bulldog Bits                                                                                                                       
- Brooke Gregory recorded a career-high 21 kills vs. Xavier (Oct. 13).
- Natalie Ravenell filled up the box score vs. Xavier with 10 kills, eight digs and 7 blocks
- Elizabeth LaBue set a new career-high total with 26 digs in the setback to Xavier
- Taylor Takeda leads BU with 20 service aces; she now has 70 in her career
- Maddie Freiwald has averaged 9.55 assists per set over her last three starts
- Melody Davidson is one kill shy of 100 and eight blocks shy of the century mark
- Bri Lilly has reached 10+ blocks three times this year; (St. John's, Creighton, Xavier)
- Bri Lilly and Melody Davidson rank 1-2 in the BIG EAST in blocks per set (1.49/1.23)
- Butler leads the BIG EAST in blocks per set (2.91) and total blocks (221)
- The Bulldogs ranks sixth in the NCAA in blocks per set (2.91)
- Butler's only win on the road this season came at Seton Hall (3-0, Sept. 21)
- Five of Butler's six wins resulted in 3-0 sweeps; 1-2 in 4-sets, 0-5 in 5-sets
 
BIG EAST Standings
1. Creighton 8-0, 16-4
2. Marquette 8-1, 17-4
3. Georgetown 6-3, 13-8
4. St. John's 5-4, 16-8
5. Villanova 4-5, 11-10
6. Xavier 4-5, 6-14
7. Butler 3-6, 6-15
8. DePaul 3-6, 5-15
9. Seton Hall 2-7, 7-15
10. Providence 1-7, 7-12
 
Scouting #10 Creighton                                                                                
The Bluejays have not lost a match since Sept. 15 which brings them into the weekend with perfect 8-0 record against BIG EAST opponents. The toughest test for Creighton through the halfway point of the conference season came against Butler who took the Bluejays to five sets at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The only other team to take a set from Creighton was Villanova. The Wildcats won the second set in Creighton's last match on Oct. 13. Slowing down the Creighton attack won't be easy as they have two of the best outside hitters in the league. Taryn Kloth and Jaali Winters combine for 575 kills, accounting for 56 percent of the team's kill total. Madelyn Cole sets up the action and leads the conference in assists per set (10.72). Cole also leads the team with 20 service aces.
 
Scouting Providence                                                                                     
The Friars find themselves at the bottom of the conference standings with a 1-7 record against BIG EAST foes. Their lone win was a 3-2 victory at home vs. DePaul. The Providence offense flows through Allison Barber, Allison Impellizeri, Addison Root and Jena Alderson. Barber is the setter and plays as a dual impact player, ranking second on the team in digs. Impellizeri currently leads the team in kills (217) and blocks (61). Root joins Impellizeri with a kill total over 200. She also has a share of the team lead in service aces along with Alderson. On the flip side, the defense is led by Mackenzie Taylor and her team-high 306 digs.
 
All-Time Series                                                                                               
Butler has only defeated Creighton one time in 11 tries. The victory came in the first meeting of the 2013 season. BU knocked off then-ranked #22 Creighton inside Hinkle Fieldhouse 3-1. The Bluejays have won the last 10, but the last three matches have all went to five sets.
 
The all-time series against Providence stands at 10-0 in favor of the Bulldogs. Butler swept the Friars in each match last year and they were able to keep that streak alive in 2018 by winning 3-0 vs. the Friars on Sept. 29
 
Closer Than It Looks                                                                                      
Butler has been limited to just six wins this year, but they have recorded more overall points (1,209) this season than their opponents (1,206). Close matches just have not went Butler's way in 2018. The 'Dawgs are 0-5 this year in five-set matches.
 
Home vs. Away                                                                                                
Butler is 5-6 at home this year, but just 1-5 on the road. The only BU player that has a higher attack percentage on the road than at home is senior Bri Lilly.
 
Bring It Every Game                                                                                       
Bri Lilly, Taylor Takeda, Emma Milstead and Elizabeth LaBue have played in all 76 sets this season. Lilly and Takeda are both seniors so there is no surprise there, but Milstead is a first-year transfer from Gardner-Webb and LaBue is a true freshman.
 
All-Time Best Blocker                                                                                    
Bri Lilly has recorded more block assists than any other player in Butler volleyball history. Lilly broke the school record against Villanova on Oct. 6 when she recorded four block assists against the Wildcats. That effort moved her career total to 415, one more than the previous record holder Krystal Hendrix ('03-'06). Lilly now has 427 block assists in her Butler career. She has reached 100 total blocks during all four of her seasons at BU.
 
Lilly Continues To Climb BU Record Book                                             
Bri Lilly has recorded the fifth-highest block total in Butler volleyball history (481). She passed Maureen Bamiro ('08-'11) last week by recording 10 blocks against Xavier. She is now nine blocks away from fourth-place all-time. That spot is currently held by Jill Spurgeon ('85-'88) who tallied 489 blocks during her career.
 
Up Next                                                                                                                              
Butler has a pair of home matches lined up for next weekend. The 'Dawgs will host St. John's on Friday evening at 6 PM. The following day BU will host Seton Hall with another 6 PM start. Each match will stream on Facebook Live.