CHICAGO – Junior outside hitter
Matt Pennala (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach City/St. John Bosco) recorded a match-high 16 kills, along with seven digs, four blocks and a service ace to help lead No. 13 ranked Saint Xavier University men's volleyball (6-5/3-0 CCAC) to a 3-1 (22-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-12) non-conference victory over NCAA Division III Illinois Institute of Technology Tuesday evening at the Keating Sports Center in Chicago, Ill. The Cougars came away with a season-high 51 digs, the second time this year that they have had 50 or mor digs in a match, and have now won six consecutive matches.
- Sophomore outside hitter Jan Lopuch (Krakow, Poland/I Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace Sportowego) had a strong night with 12 kills on a .391 attack percentage (12-3-23). He added four digs, an assist and a block.
- Sophomore outside hitter Oskar Krzyzak (Nowy Sacz, Poland/Szkota Mistrzostwa Sportowego Rzeszów) also finished with double-digit kills, collecting 11 on a .444 attack percentage (11-3-18). He also had three digs and a block in three sets.
- Freshman setter Cameron Daniels (Omaha, Neb./Millard West) totaled 46 assists, the second straight match that he has had 40 or mor assists and the four time this season he has eclipsed the 40-assist mark. He added three digs, two blocks, two kills and an ace.
- Sophomore libero Andres Velez (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico/St. Francis) was a force defensively, recording a career-high 27 digs. It's the second time this season and the third time in his career that Velez has had 20 or more digs in a match. He also had a pair of assists in the win.
- Fifth-year senior middle blocker Drew Ehlers (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) came away with a match-best six blocks, along with four kills, three service aces and a dig.
- Senior middle blocker Jack McClain (Homer Glen, Ill./Marist) registered four kills, three blocks (one solo) and two digs.
- Redshirt junior outside hitter Vejas Cuplinskas (Riverside, Ill./Riverside Brookfield) posted four digs, four kills and an ace.
No. 13 Saint Xavier (6-5/3-0 CCAC) is on the road to play King University (Tenn.) in Bristol, Tenn. on Friday, February 23. The match is slated for a 6:00 pm central first serve.