The Men’s Volleyball team played five games this past week, going 4-1 with dominating wins as they move towards the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) tournament.
SXU’s record improves to 19-4 and despite being 10-0 at home, they have had their struggles on the road this season with all their losses coming away from the Shannon Center.
In their five games over the last seven days, the no. 11 Saint Xavier Cougars continued to prove they are one of the best teams in the nation and are the team to beat in the CCAC. Saint Xavier looks to defend their CCAC championship title in the upcoming tournament, but first they have to make it to the regular season finish line.
Game one: Trinity Christian College
On Tuesday the 14, SXU took on Trinity Christian College, falling to the Trolls in a five set heartbreaker. This loss broke the Cougars’ 34-game winning streak against CCAC opponents, their last conference loss coming in February 2020.
Freshman opposite hitter, Oskar Krzyzak, had a match-best 25 kills, but the Cougars fell short in the fifth set by a score of 13-15. The 25 kills are a career-best for Krzyzak and are cemented in SXU history as the fourth-most kills in a match in program history.
The game was tight from start to finish, with Saint Xavier winning the first and third matches, and the Trolls taking matches two, four, and five. TCC had the edge at the end, scoring their last two points on a kill and an attack error.
Game two: Calumet College of St. Joseph
Saint Xavier took on Calumet College of St. Joseph on the 16, getting back in the win column in a four-set game.
After dropping the first set 23-25, the Cougars got into a groove and put the Crimson Wave away with the help of big performances from three players who all had 10 or more kills.
Freshman outside hitter, Jan Lopuch, recorded a team-leading 17 kills, Krzyzak had 11, and junior outside hitter, Vejas Cuplinskas, also had 11 kills.
SXU had an incredible hitting percentage in this game, .461, undoubtedly carrying them to victory. Lopuch also had a match-high six aces, the rest of the Cougars had four aces.
Game three: Cornerstone University
The next game came against a non-conference opponent, Cornerstone University, coming out on top in straight sets.
Five of the six SXU starters recorded five or more kills, Krzyzak and senior middle blocker, Drew Ehlers, each had 10 kills. Ehlers also had a .600 attack percentage (10-1-15).
Additionally, junior setter, Jason Klein, had a game-best 35 assists, as well as three digs and a block.
Saint Xavier dominated Cornerstone from start to finish and the statline proves it, they bested CU in almost every category, including hitting percentage (.351-.095), digs (25-15), and aces (5-0).
Game four: Cardinal Stritch University
The next game took place on Monday the 20, against Cardinal Stritch University, beating the Wolves in three straight sets. The score of all three sets was 25-15.
SXU dominated from start to finish, never giving CSU the opportunity to take a set.
Junior middle blockers, John Glennon and Jake McClain had strong games.
Glennon had a .500 attack percentage, with seven kills and a block, and McClain registered two blocks (one solo) and a dig.
Game five: Olivet Nazarene University (IL)
The last game of this stretch was the next day in Bourbonnais, IL, against Olivet Nazarene University. The Cougars bested ONU in four sets with scores of 25-16, 25-18, 19-25, and 25-21.
Saint Xavier was once again led by Krzyzak, who had a match-best 24 kills with a .512 attack percentage. He also recorded five digs, three blocks (two solo), and two service aces.
Lopuch nearly had a double-double in the big win, he had a career-best nine digs and nine kills, as well as two blocks.
SXU has an 11-1 conference record with ONU and Judson University following closely with 10-2 conference records.
A win in their last regular season game would crown them champions of the CCAC for the second year in a row, and it would also give them a first-round bye in the CCAC Tournament.
The Cougars will finish up the regular season with a ‘Senior Night’ game against Roosevelt University at the Shannon Center on Friday, March 24, scheduled for a 7 pm start time.
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