Starting Big East play 3-0 for the first time since 1994 the volleyball team welcomes in the two teams that played for last season's conference championship.
On Friday, Louisville comes to Walsh Gymnasium with Cincinnati, last year's champion, on Sunday. The Pirates along with the Cardinals and Bearcats are among the five remaining unbeaten teams in the Big East.
The Hall has a 12-6 overall record and are currently on a five game winning streak including three in conference.
Louisville comes into the match on a four game winning streak, all in conference and holds a 12-4 record. The Bearcats are also on a five game winning streak and have a 12-6 overall record, 4-0 in conference.
For the Hall, they are coming off a 3-1 win against South Florida where freshman Shelbey Manthorpe recorded a triple-double against the Bulls, the first in program history.
Manthorpe, leads the team with 8.52 assists per set and is second on the team with 2.73 digs per set and third with 1.91 kills per set.
The other team leaders are senior Megan Matusiak with 3.75 kills per set and sophomore Alyssa Warren with an average of 5.7 digs per set.
Louisville comes into the match with the Pirates having only dropped one set in conference all season. They dropped that set against Notre Dame, their last match which they won 3-1.
The Hall is 1-6 all-time versus Louisville, with the Pirates dropping the last matchup between the teams 3-1 last season in the first round the Big East Tournament.
Louisville is the best hitting team in the Big East holding a .266 kill percentage with junior Lola Arslanbekova also leading the conference with 4.93 kills per set.
Sophomore Emily Juhl is second on the team with 2.59 kills a set. Sophomore Caitlin Welch leads the Cardinals with 4.19 digs a set and sophomore Taylor Brauneis leads with 10.83 assists per set.
On Sunday, the Pirates play the reigning Big East champion Cincinnati Bearcats. The Bearcats, like the Hall, have a game Friday night when they play Rutgers.
Cincinnati has lost only one set in conference play this season and, like Louisville, that one set was to Notre Dame.
The Pirates enter the game against the Bearcats with a 1-5 record against them with the last meeting ending in a 3-0 win for Cincinnati last season.
The Bearcats are second in the conference with an average of 13.4 kills a set.
Leading the team is senior Missy Harpenau with 3.7 kills per set, followed by junior Jordanne Scott with a 2.84 average.
The Louisville match will start at 7 p.m. on Friday with the match against Cincinnati starting at 2 p.m., Sunday.
Stephen Valenti can be reached at stephen.valenti@studemt.shu.edu
