It has been another successful season for the Saint Xavier Women’s Volleyball Team.
The Cougars finished last year with a 36-6 record, but were eliminated in the NAIA Volleyball National Championship Group Stage.
The Cougars looked to improve on that finish this year as they started on August 21st against Clarke University. SXU lost that game in three straight sets. However, the team bounced back from that loss and finished August with a 3-2 record.
SXU started September by going on a five game winning streak, defeating Saint Ambrose University, Trinity International University, Waldorf University, and William Woods University. The winning streak was snapped by the fifth best team in the NAIA, Viterbo University, who defeated the Cougars in four sets.
SXU finished September by winning three times and losing once, bringing their total record to 10-4.
The Cougars then participated in the Holiday Inn Express Invite in Bourbonnais. They went 2-2 in the tournament, defeating Georgetown College and Taylor University, but losing to Columbia College and Grace College. SXU started October by winning seven out of their first eight games, bringing their record to 19-7. They then lost two very close games to Indiana Wesleyan University and Purdue University Northwest.
After those two close losses, Saint Xavier had five more games to play before the regular season came to a close. The Cougars first played Governors State University, defeating them in three straight sets.
The next day, the Cougars played Indiana University-South Bend and defeated them in four sets. A few hours later, SXU played the 21st best team in the NAIA, Trinity Christian College. Saint Xavier dropped the first set of the game, but won the next three sets and ultimately won the game.
A few days later, the Cougars traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to play Cardinal Stritch University. SXU won the first two sets of the game, but Cardinal Stritch stormed back and won the next two sets, setting up a deciding fifth set. The Cougars ultimately won the final set 15-13 and clinched a share of the CCAC Conference Championship with the victory.
SXU then played Judson University on Senior Night and defeated them in four sets, ending the regular season. SXU finished the regular season with a 24-9 record, ending things off with a five game winning streak.
Saint Xavier breezed through the first two rounds of the CCAC Tournament before facing Trinity Christian College in the finals. The two teams duked it out with both teams splitting the first four sets. In the decisive fifth set, the Cougars won and clinched the CCAC Championship.
By virtue of winning the CCAC, SXU won a spot in the NAIA National Volleyball Tournament. Saint Xavier started the tournament by defeating Indiana University Kokomo in three straight sets.
With that victory, the Cougars advanced into the group stage, where they were put in a group with Viterbo University, Southern Oregon University, and University of Jamestown.
In the group stage, SXU did not do well, losing all three games and only winning one set out of ten they played. Saint Xavier was eliminated and their season came to a close.
Despite a disappointing finish, the SXU Women’s Volleyball Team did great this year and can only hope to further their success next year.
Chris Leonchik
Sports Editor