TicketsNov. 14, 2011
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The University of Cincinnati volleyball team(22-8, 12-2 BIG EAST) have claimed the No. 2 seed after recording a 3-2 win over Villanova on Sunday. The team will face Villanova again in its first match Friday, November 18 at 4:30 p.m. ET at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, Wis. hosted by the University of Marquette.
The Bearcats have qualified for the BIG EAST Championship in all seven seasons which they have been members of the conference. The Bearcats have lost in the conference finals the previous two seasons.
Cincinnati takes on No. 7 seed Villanova (17-12, 8-6 BIG EAST) at 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday.
Louisville won its first BIG EAST regular-season crown since joining the conference in 2005. The Cardinals have won four of the last five BIG EAST Championships and are the defending champions.
The Bearcats are led by several key players on the year. Junior Jordanne Scott has come on strong in the second half of the season, leading the team in hitting percentage and has led all players in kills the last 3 matches. Scott was also named to this week's BIG EAST Honor Roll after hitting .467 over the weekend.
Senior Missy Harpenau has shown leadership in numbers this season by holding the top spot on the team in kills per set and is a close second in digs per set. Freshman Caylin Mahoney has lived up to her starting role, ranking second in the BIG EAST in assists per set. For her efforts, the Fort Worth, Texas native has earned BIG EAST Freshman of the Week three times.
The eight-team 2011 BIG EAST Volleyball Championship field has been set with Louisville capturing the BIG EAST regular-season title and earning the No. 1 seed. Cincinnati claimed the No. 2 seed with Marquette locking in the No. 3 seed. Syracuse sits in the No. 4 spot. Notre Dame comes in as the No. 5 seed, while Seton Hall, Villanova and Pittsburgh notched seeds six, seven and eight respectively. The championship takes place Nov. 18-20 at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, Wis., hosted by Marquette University.
Follow all matches on the Championship Central link above. Cincinnati's matches can also be tracked on twitter @cincinnativball or check back to gobearcats.com for recaps.