ST. LOUIS – The Saint Xavier University women's volleyball team (10-10, 7-3) split its matches on day one of the Missouri Baptist University Classic at the Perry SRC in St. Louis, Mo. Friday afternoon. The Cougars defeated Lindsay Wilson College (Ky.) in five sets (25-20, 25-23, 11-25, 20-25, 15-13) in their first set of the day, however the fell to host No. 7 ranked Missouri Baptist in three sets (19-25, 11-25, 18-25) in their second match of the afternoon. Junior opposite hitter
Abby Gentile (Blissfield, Mich./Lourdes/Blissfield) and junior outside hitter
Connie LeBel (Crestwood, Ill./DePaul/Ferris State/Mother McAuley) each collected 22 kills on the day for SXU.
Match One:
- Gentile led the Saint Xavier attack with 15 kills and had 13 digs for her first double-double of the season. She also had two service aces, an assist and a block.
- LeBel tallied a match-best 16 digs and had 14 kills for her fifth double-double of the year. She added a match-high tying four aces and a block assist.
- Senior middle blocker Courtney Hunter (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) finished with eight kills and a pair of blocks.
- Junior setter/libero Kaleigh Ritter (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) scooped up 15 digs with five assists and a kill.
- Freshman setter Abbey Opilka (Dyer, Ind./Hanover Central) handed out 27 assists, along with eight digs and a service ace.
- Sophomore defensive specialist/setter Katie DeHaan (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) collected 15 assists, three digs and two kills.
- Sophomore middle blocker Nicole Grochola (Burbank, Ill./Reavis) posted six kills, tied her career-high in blocks with four (two solos) and had two digs.
- Freshman outside hitter Kaylee Born (Plainfield, Ill./Oswego East) had six kills as well and had five digs, while sophomore outside hitter Tara Glynn (Oak Lawn, Ill./Richards) chipped in five digs, two blocks and two kills.
Match Two:
- Hunter recorded a team-leading 10 kills, along with a block assist and a service ace.
- LeBel registered nine digs, eight kills, an ace and a block.
- Gentile collected seven kills and six digs.
- Opilka dished out 15 assists with four digs, while DeHaan added nine assists and two digs.
- Ritter finished with eight digs and an assist, while sophomore defensive specialist Ariel Hoskin (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) had a dig with a service ace.
Saint Xavier (10-10/7-3 CCAC) wraps up play in the Missouri Baptist Classic when they take on No. 8 Park University (Mo.) on Saturday, October 14. The match is scheduled for a 2:00 pm first serve.