Saturday, the Bearcats (2-7) made the trip down the road to take on crosstown rival Xavier (6-3) in a crosstown rivalry match as the Bearcats would be looking to keep their win streak going as they came into this one winning the last six of seven, and hold an all-time 27-12 record versus the Musketeers.
Starters for the Bearcats- Kailea Carrier, Abby Walker, Maria Tobergte, Caroline Endres, Shaye Eggleston, Avry Tatum, Payton Frederick.
Starters for the Musketeers- Maryann O’Toole, Carrigan O’Reilly, Angel Robinson, Anna Taylor, Delaney Hogan, Emma Grace, Lucia Corsaro.
Set 1- The Musketeers would strike first and find themselves with an early 7-3 lead over the Bearcats forcing coach Molly Alvey to use a time out early, as the Bearcats looked to stop the Musketeer momentum in front of a very nice crowd here at the Cintas Center. The Bearcats would look to fight back, but the Musketeers outsides Brooklyn Cink and Maryann O’Toole as those two combined for 9 of the 18 Musketeers kills in the first set as the Musketeers were relying on their senior’s early to get the momentum going in this high energy match, but the Bearcats would fall short as the Musketeers would hold on to win Set 1, 25-20.
Set 2- The Bearcats would see the Musketeers take an early 2-0 lead following an Emma Grace service ace, and kill from O’Toole, but the Bearcats would respond and tie this one at three following a kill from Abby Walker where she followed up with a solo block of her own and the Bearcats offense was starting to click here early in Set 2. The Bearcats would take a 6-4 lead following a service ace from Shaye Eggleston, as the Bearcats offense was starting to click. The Bearcats would jump out to a 11-7 following a 4-point run, and in a high momentum environment like this was at Cintas Center, the Bearcats were looking to build off that momentum and extend their lead. The Musketeers would come back and tie this at 13, before the Bearcats would push the tempo and take a 17-14 lead following a Maryann O’Toole attacking error, and Shaye Eggleston recording consecutive kills as the Bearcats were really looking to feed the hot hands as Eggleston and Tatum have dominated on the pins. The Bearcats would hold on and take Set 2, 25-20 and tie this one at 1 set a piece despite a slow start for the Bearcats to start.
Set 3- The Bearcats would jump out to a 6-2 lead following a 3-point run to start as the Musketeers would find themselves in a hole early, but knew they had to get the momentum going before the Bearcats pushed the led any further. The Musketeers would tie this one at 7 however, behind a kill from Stevie Wolf, Brooklyn Cink and a block by Hunter Fry, as they looked to take their first lead of the set. The Bearcats would respond and take a 13-11 lead following consecutive kills from Kailea Carrier, but the Musketeers would respond with a 4-point run to take a 15-13 lead following three straight errors by the Bearcats. The Bearcats would rally back and take a 23-20 lead following a kill from Glendinning, consecutive kills by Walker and all the momentum were favoring the Bearcats as they looked to close this one out and take a 2 set to 1 lead over the Musketeers. The Bearcats would close the door as they would take Set 3, 25-21 following a Endres kill and a stuff block by Carrier to end the set and the Bearcats look to carry that momentum to the 4th set and close the door versus the Musketeers.
