Freshman Setter Mark Gheorghita mid-set against Calumet College of St Joseph (Ind.)
SXU Athletics
Saint Xavier University (SXU)’s Men’s Volleyball team cruises to nine straight wins, including two in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC), thrusting them into an early lead in the CCAC.
The Cougars’ conference victories over Calumet College of St Joseph (CCSJ) and Saint Ambrose University (SAU) come behind an efficient offense that is paralleled by their steady defensive play.
They posted 39 kills and 38 assists in their match-up against CCSJ, in a performance highlighted by the younger core of the Cougars roster.
Freshman Setter, Mark Gheorghita, recorded 33 assists, while Freshman Outsides Marko Skuletic and Bernardo Kumm, along with Freshman Middle Blocker Nikolay Kotevski, accounted for 25 of the Cougars 39 kills in the matchup.
Despite the inexperience on the court, the Cougars maintained the consistent product they’ve been able to produce throughout the last two seasons.
Against SAU, the Cougars totaled 45 kills, 43 assists, and 36 digs in a sweep over the 10-4 Fighting Bees.
Headlined by the consistent production from Right-side hitter, Matt Pennala, and Outside, Caydan Cox, they combined for a total of 27 kills, while Setter Cameron Daniels registered 37 assists. As a team, they hit .303 in the match, emphasizing their efficiency on the offensive side.
Defensively, SXU limited SAU to a .081 hitting percentage in the game, with their highest mark being .118 in the first set. Libero, Andre Velez, posted 10 digs, Pennala added 7, and Cox contributed 3 blocks as the Cougars controlled the game in all phases.
With a 2-0 start in conference play, the Cougars have moved into early positioning in the CCAC, and have upcoming matchups vs conference opponents Judson University, Olivet Nazarene University, and Governors State University, where they look to extend their lead in the conference standings, but also add to their national resume as well.
SXU is ranked second in the NAIA, and while CCAC play is just beginning, the Cougars will continue to be tested nationally, with upcoming ranked matchups against No. 11 Lourdes University and No. 12 Mount Mercy University.