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Saint Xavier University

Official Athletics Website of the Saint Xavier University Cougars

Men's Volleyball
3
Winner Saint Xavier (IL) SAINT XA 23-8
0
Grand View GRAND VI 22-8
Winner
Saint Xavier (IL) SAINT XA
23-8
3
Final
0
Grand View GRAND VI
22-8
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Saint Xavier (IL) SAINT XA 25 25 25 (3)
Grand View GRAND VI 17 15 20 (0)

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball |

No. 6 SXU Tops No. 3 Grand View; Advances to NAIA Semifinals

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – The No. 6 seeded Saint Xavier University men's volleyball team (23-8/10-0 CCAC) swept No. 3 Grand View University (Iowa) in three sets (25-17, 25-15, 25-20) to go undefeated play in Pool C at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Thursday morning in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and advance to the Semifinals of the 2024 NAIA Men's Volleyball National Championship Tournament. It's the first time in program history that the Cougars will play in the semifinals after losing in pool play in 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The win for SXU over GVU is the first since their first meeting, a 3-2 triumph (25-21, 29-27, 20-25, 14-25, 15-13), in Davenport, Iowa on January 28, 2012.
  • Junior outside hitter Matt Pennala (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach City/St. John Bosco) finished with a match-best 13 kills on a .345 attack percentage (13-3-29) with six digs, three blocks, three service aces and an assist.
  • Sophomore outside hitter Jan Lopuch (Krakow, Poland/I Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace Sportowego) tallied 10 kills along with two blocks, two digs and an ace.
  • Junior outside hitter Sean Carey (Skokie, Ill./Niles West) was efficient at the net, posting an attack percentage of .571 (8-0-14) with three blocks and a pair of digs.
  • Fifth-year senior setter Christian Oviedo (Brea, Calif./Concordia-Irvine/Servite) handed out 30 assists and he had two digs.
  • Junior middle blocker Alessandro Gianotti (Desio, Italy/BYU/Leonardo Da Vinchi) was a force at the net, recording a match-high five blocks (one solo) and he added four kills and a dig.
  • Sophomore libero Andres Velez (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico/St. Francis) scooped up a match-leading 13 digs and he had three assists.
  • Fifth-year senior middle blocker Drew Ehlers (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) came away with three blocks, three kills and a dig.
  • Freshman setter Cameron Daniels (Omaha, Neb./Millard West) registered five digs, three assists and a service ace.
  • Sophomore outside hitter Oskar Krzyzak (Nowy Sacz, Poland/Szkota Mistrzostwa Sportowego Rzeszów) tallied two digs, a block and a kill, while senior middle blocker Jake McClain (Homer Glen, Ill./Marist) was perfect on 10 service attempts and adding a dig.
No. 6 Saint Xavier (23-8/10-0 CCAC) plays the winner of Pool B, either No. 7 Georgetown College (Ky.) or No. 2 Vanguard University (Calif.), in the semifinals on Friday, May 3. First serve is scheduled for 4:00 pm.
 
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