Fifth-Ranked Creighton Volleyball Team Sweeps Butler for 15th-Straight Win

OMAHA–(CU Athletics Nov. 8)–No. 5 Creighton Volleyball had 14 blocks in three sets en route to its 15th straight victory, a 3-0 sweep over Butler on Friday night inside D.J. Sokol Arena. The sweep gives Creighton a program-record 31 straight set wins, a figure that also leads the nation.

Creighotn (22-2, 13-0 BIG EAST) was led by 12 kills on .478 hitting from junior Ava Martin, while Elise Goetzinger and Kendra Wait each notched six blocks. The Bluejays hit .359 and recorded 37 kills, six aces, 36 digs and 14 blocks on the night.

Butler (6-20, 4-10 BIG EAST) was led by seven kills by Elise Ward. The Bulldogs hit .012 and finished with 23 kills, four aces, 30 digs and three blocks.

Alaleh Tolliver served an ace on the first point of the match, but that would be Butler’s lone lead the entire contest. The Bulldogs hung around and were within 13-11 midway through the opening frame, but a 7-0 serving run by Maddy Bilinovic helped stake CU to a 24-13 lead, and Kiara Reinhardt and Wait combined on a block of Ward to close out the first set. Reinhardt had four rejections and Martin four kills in the first set as CU hit .409 and had six blocks as a team.

Martin served an ace as part of a 4-0 run to open the second set. Butler drew within 12-10, but Creighton steadily pulled away for a second consecutive 25-16 triumph. Wait had three kills and nine assists, as five different teammates had exactly two terminations in the second set.

The Bluejays started quicker in the third set as Sky McCune came off the bench to serve CU to a 13-7 lead.  CU’s lead grew as large as 24-14 on a kill from senior Abbey Milner, and the Bluejays secured the sweep on a Butler service error. Martin had six kills in the finale and CU recorded five blocks to hold BU to -.130 hitting in 23 attacks.

Creighton is back in action on Sunday at 2 p.m. when it visits Marquette (18-6, 12-1 BIG EAST) in a battle of the top two teams in the league standings. Creighton handed Marquette its only league loss of the season, but the Golden Eagles handed CU its only set loss in conference action this fall. The showdown will be televised by FS1.