Senior Outside Hitter Jenny Jensen Preparing to Spike the Ball SXU Athletics
With the season nearing an end, the Cougars seem to find themselves in a decent place. After splitting the last six games at 3-3, the Cougars sit at a 14-9 overall record and an impressive 12-4 conference record.
Throughout the week, we saw a few of the women shine in their matches which led to them being rewarded for it.
Senior outside hitter Jenney Jensen won CCAC Attacker of the Week after totaling 41 kills, 15 digs, four blocks, and an assist in her last three matches. This is her second time winning the honor in her collegiate career.
In her match against Olivet Nazarene University (ONU), she notched 12 kills, four digs, and a block in a four-set win, and she followed that up with 13 kills and six digs in a sweep of IU Northwest. Jensen then concluded the week with a career-high 16 kills, five digs, three blocks, and an assist in a five-set comeback victory over St. Ambrose.
Fifth-year senior libero Avanna Martinez saw herself claiming an award as he was named the CCAC Defensive Player of the Week. Martinez was dominant defensively, collecting 96 digs, a perfect reception percentage on 43 attempts, 19 assists, and four aces across four matches.
She didn’t stop there as she recorded 29 digs against ONU, tied the SXU record for most digs in a three-set match (29) vs. IU Northwest, and then broke her own mark with a career-high 38 digs and 11 assists against St. Ambrose.
Senior setter Samantha Hovey earned herself an award as well, being named the CCAC Setter of the Week. Hovey was able to showcase her versatility with 84 assists, 43 digs, 26 kills (.211 hitting), five aces, and two blocks over four matches.
She tallied 30 assists, 14 digs, and six kills vs. ONU; 27 assists and 12 digs vs. IU Northwest; and her fourth triple-double of the season with 27 assists, 17 digs, and 11 kills vs. St. Ambrose.
SXU vs. University of St. Francis (Ill.): 25-23, 21-25, 25-16, 28-30, 9-15 (L)
The Cougars couldn’t get it done in five sets as they fell short to the St. Francis Bulldogs, it was a real nail biter as they needed a fifth set to determine the winner and St. Francis had to score 30 points to claim set four.
Hovey continued to dominate the game as she recorded her fifth triple-double of the season, finishing with 21 assists, 20 digs, and 13 kills. Hovey also tied for the team lead with three service aces, marking her third 20-dig match of the year.
Martinez delivered a historic performance, recording a career-high 41 digs which is the third-highest total in program history. She joins Mariana Ayala (42 in 2016) and Kim Prohaska (44 in 2000). Martinez’s milestone also moved her into a tie for No. 3 all-time at SXU with 1,827 career digs.
Sophomore middle blocker Carrington Smith set a career-high with 13 kills on a 281 hitting percentage (13-4-32), adding five digs and a solo block. Jensen matched Smith with 13 kills, extending her streak to four straight matches with double-digit kills, while also contributing three digs, two solo blocks, and an assist.
Junior setter Abbey Opilka dished out a season-high 23 assists, along with five digs and an ace. While sophomore libero/defensive specialist Taylor Vann tied her season highs with 15 digs and three aces, plus two assists.
Graduate student defensive specialist Katie DeHaan notched 11 digs, marking her seventh double-digit dig match of the season.
We also saw redshirt junior Carolina Cosme post a statline of five kills and seven digs, while senior middle blocker Nicole Grochola added five kills and a solo block.
SXU vs. No. 15 Indiana University Kokomo: 13-25, 26-24, 9-25, 24-26 (L)
It got real spooky for the Cougars on Halloween night as they suffered another loss, but this time in the hands of No. 15 ranked Indiana University Kokomo (IU). This marks the ladies third straight loss and leaves them currently standing at 14-9.
IU Kokomo has now won an astounding 20 straight matches after defeating SXU, so these ladies knew this match would be a huge challenge for them.
Opilka led the way as she turned in an impressive performance with a season-high 31 assists, a season-best 16 digs, and her first solo block of the season.
Martinez continued her stellar defensive season, posting a match-high 22 digs, which is her 12th match of 2025 with 20 or more digs and her sixth such effort in the last seven contests.
Sophomore middle blockers Carrington Smith and Delaney Panozzo alongside Grochola, each tallied eight kills. Grochola hit an efficient .300 (8-2-20) and added two blocks (one solo), while Smith and Panozzo each chipped in two blocks and a dig.
Jensen chimed in recording seven kills, four digs, and a solo block, while senior outside hitter Tara Glynn followed with six kills, three digs, and a block.
Vann collected five digs and served two aces, and DeHaan added three digs, two aces, and an assist.
Senior defensive specialist Ariel Hoskin totaled five digs, while junior outside hitter Kaylee Born contributed a kill and two digs off the bench.
With only two matches left, the Cougars plan to finish strong and conclude the regular season with wins. Come out and support your senior Cougars for Senior/Family Night as they’ll take on Mount Mary University. Action will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 7:00 pm at the Shannon Center.
The ladies will then conclude the regular season in a rematch against Judson University. That match will take place at the Shannon Center on Nov. 6 at 7:00 pm.