SXU Athletics
The women’s volleyball team continues to take down their opponents. Having only lost one game these past two weeks, the Cougars are on fire.
The ladies lost to Anderson University on Sept. 19, but redeemed themselves on Sept. 20 and 23. The team took down Monmouth College and the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology prior to defeating their rival, Cardinal Stritch University.
The team’s best performance was by senior defensive specialist and outside hitter Jessica Galotta, who earned an all-tournament recognition at the Barker Classic II, hosted by Illinois Wesleyan University, for her 51 kills and 30 digs.
“Jess had a great weekend,” said coach Rob Heersema, “[and she] played middle attacker which she had not done since high school, as well as played back court.”
To break it down, Galotta led the Cougars with 18 kills and 16 digs during the game against Anderson. Further contributions from junior setter Joanna Curtis and freshman outside hitter Anna O’Hara were 40 assists and 14 digs and 15 kills and two blocks (one solo), respectively.
The victory over Monmouth College was due to senior middle hitter Marie Hackert’s 12 kills and five blocks and senior setter Kelli Shaffer’s 34 assists and five kills. Shauna Meagher, a freshman defensive specialist, had four aces and 12 digs.
19 kills were recorded for Hackert in the game against Rose-Hulman, while 13 were recorded for Galotta, along with nine digs and two aces. Shaffer had 25 assists and 13 digs that game as well.
The team has learned from their previous mistakes and has been working hard to fix those mistakes. One was the communication mishap Galotta said the team experienced a couple weeks ago.
“Our communication has also improved, and we are comfortable with holding each other accountable on the court, which makes things run smoother,” said Shaffer.
The team’s success can ultimately be attributed to individual efforts by each of the team members. Shaffer specifically works on things she knows she’s great at and things she knows she struggles with.
“I’ve really been focusing on staying active and involved in the defense, expecting the hitters on the other side to hit at me. Our defense is structured so I’m not always digging the hard-driven hits, but if I can pick up some of the off-speed shots and tips, those digs can translate into important points for us to win,” she said.
Shaffer is positioned on the right side of the court, which means she is directly across the net from the opposing team’s best hitters.
“The aspect of my game I’ve been working really hard at in practice is my blocking. Being on the right side, I’m matched up with the other teams outside, who is usually one of their best hitters. I’m not the biggest block on the outside, so it’s important for me to set up a solid block and get some touches to slow down the speed of the hit and help the defense out behind me,” she said.
Schaffer is extremely confident in her serving skills.
“Serving is something I felt like I’ve excelled at both last season and so far this year…Setting away from the block and giving my hitters a one-on-one situation is another thing I’ve been pretty successful with this season…” said Shaffer.
Everything that Shaffer spoke about is exactly what the team has been focusing on in practice.
“Our focus this past week has been serving and serve receive, as well as blocking and team defense,” said Heersema.
Shaffer is another one of the volleyball team’s soon-to-be graduated members.
“I want people to remember my strong work ethic and drive to become better that I’ve always had since I started playing the game ten years ago,” said Shaffer. “My love for the game is also something I want to leave behind and share with my teammates, and I’m sure how much I sweat will also be a part of my legacy here at Saint Xavier!” joked Shaffer.
Next, the women hit the court this Friday to take on Purdue University-North Central at 4 p.m. and Indiana University-South Bend at 8 p.m. Both games are a part of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Tournament at SXU.
Alexis Flamburis
Sports Correspondent
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