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Saint Xavier University

Official Athletics Website of the Saint Xavier University Cougars

Men's Volleyball
3
Winner Georgetown GEORGETO 27-6
2
Saint Xavier (IL) SAINT XA 23-9
Winner
Georgetown GEORGETO
27-6
3
Final
2
Saint Xavier (IL) SAINT XA
23-9
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Georgetown GEORGETO 25 25 22 21 15 (3)
Saint Xavier (IL) SAINT XA 21 23 25 25 10 (2)

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball |

Late Rally Falls Short for No. 6 SXU in Five-Set Loss in Semifinals

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – After losing the first two sets, 25-21 and 25-23, No. 6 seed Saint Xavier University men's volleyball (23-9/10-0 CCAC) rallied to win the next two sets, 25-22 and 25-21, to force a fifth and deciding set against No. 7 Georgetown College (Ky.) at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Friday afternoon in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in the first Semifinal match of the 2024 NAIA Men's Volleyball National Championship Tournament. The Tigers took a 4-0 advantage to start the fifth set, forcing an SXU timeout. The Cougars tied the match on a service error, back-to-back blocks by junior middle blocker Alessandro Gianotti (Desio, Italy/BYU/Leonardo Da Vinchi) and junior outside hitter Sean Carey (Skokie, Ill./Niles West), and Gianotti and junior outside hitter Matt Pennala (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach City/St. John Bosco), followed by an attack error. However, Saint Xavier was unable to take a lead in the final set and lost 15-10. SXU made program history by reaching the semifinals for the first time and return to Chicago with a third-place trophy.
  • Sophomore outside hitter Jan Lopuch (Krakow, Poland/I Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace Sportowego) recorded a match-high 21 kills on a .447 attack percentage (21-4-38), along with seven digs, two blocks and an assist.
  • Carey came away with a season-best 15 kills and a season-high four blocks, while adding a pair of digs.
  • Pennala also finished in double-figures with 10 kills. He added six digs, three blocks and an assist.
  • Fifth-year senior setter Christian Oviedo (Brea, Calif./Concordia-Irvine/Servite) posted a match-high tying 44 assists with five digs.
  • Gianotti registered a season-best nine blocks (one solo) and he had three kills.
  • Sophomore libero Andres Velez (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico/St. Francis) collected a match-best 17 digs, along with four assists and two service aces.
  • Fifth-year senior middle blocker Drew Ehlers (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) tallied eight kills on a .727 attack percentage (8-0-11) with three blocks.
  • Freshman setter Cameron Daniels (Omaha, Neb./Millard West) added six assists and five digs, while sophomore outside hitter Oskar Krzyzak (Nowy Sacz, Poland/Szkota Mistrzostwa Sportowego Rzeszów) chipped in three blocks and a pair of kills.
No. 6 Saint Xavier (23-9/10-0 CCAC) caps the 2024 season with its deepest postseason run in team history.
 
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