Joliet, Ill. – The Saint Xavier University women's volleyball team (0-4, 0-0 CCAC) began its 2024 season with four matches over two days at the Big Dogs Classic hosted by University of St. Francis (Ill.) Friday evening and Saturday afternoon at the Pat Sullivan Center in Joliet, Ill. The Cougars fell to Mount Mercy University (Iowa) in five sets (25-21, 20-25, 16-25, 25-23, 13-15) and to Rocky Mountain College (Mont.) in four sets (22-25, 25-13, 20-25, 19-25) Friday evening. SXU lost to Rochester Christian University (Mich.) in five sets (17-25, 17-25, 25-21, 25-10, 7-15) and lost in three sets to Bluefield University (Va.) (21-25, 23-25, 12-25) to wrap up the season-opening tournament.

Senior outside hitter Abby Gentile (Blissfield, Mich./Lourdes/Blissfield) totaled 39 kills over four matches on a .330 hitting percentage (39-9-91), along with seven digs and four blocks (one solo. Fifth-year senior middle blocker Courtney Hunter (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) tallied 37 kills with 13 digs, six service aces, three assists and three blocks (two solos). Senior outside hitter Connie LeBel (Crestwood, Ill./DePaul/Ferris State/Mother McAuley) collected 43 digs, 37 digs, 11 aces, three assists and a block. Junior outside hitter Jenny Jensen (Orland Park, Ill./Cardinal Stritch/Sandburg) came away with 27 kills, seven digs, four service aces and two assists.

Saint Xavier also received helped from the newest members of the team as freshman libero Taylor Vann (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness Catholic) led the team with 80 digs and averaging 4.71 digs per set over 17 sets. She also recorded 10 assists, seven aces and a pair of kills. Redshirt junior setter Samantha Hovey (Mackinaw, Ill./Heartland/Dee-Mack) dished out 129 assists, as well as 26 digs, six kills, six service aces and a solo block. Senior outside hitter Delaney Davis (Chicago, Ill./South Carolina State/Mother McAuley) posted 15 kills, two assists, two digs and a solo block, while freshman middle blocker Carrington Smith (Flossmoor, Ill./Marian Catholic) added eight kills and four blocks in her first collegiate action.

Match One:

• LeBel turned in a double-double with 20 kills and 11 digs, as well as five aces and an assist against the Mustangs.
• Gentile registered 12 kills, two digs and a solo block.
• Jensen also finished in double-figures in kills with 11. She added a pair of service aces, an assist and a dig.
• Hunter had nine kills, along with three aces, three digs and an assist.
• Hovey paced the offense with 42 assists. She also had eight digs, two service aces and a kill.
• Vann was tough defensively, coming away with a team-high 22 digs, as well as five assists, two kills and a service ace in her collegiate debut.
• Junior defensive specialist Katie DeHaan (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) was also tough on the defensive end by collecting 13 digs, and she added an assist.
• Sophomore outside hitter Kaylee Born (Plainfield, Ill./Oswego East) added seven digs and an assist.

Match Two:

• Gentile had nine kills on a .364 attack percentage (9-1-22) along with three digs.
• Hunter tallied nine kills with seven digs, an ace, an assist and a solo block.
• Jensen also finished with nine kills and she added two digs and an assist.
• Vann posted a match-best 21 digs, as well as an assist and a service ace.
• LeBel recorded 17 digs, six kills, three aces and an assist.
• Hovey handed out 35 assists with seven digs, three kills, two service aces and a solo block.
• Junior middle blocker Nicole Grochola (Burbank, Ill./Reavis) registered five kills, an ace and a dig, while Davis added four kills.
• Sophomore setter Abbey Opilka (Dyer, Ind./Hanover Central) had four assists, a dig and a kill.

Match Three:

• Hunter finished with a team-high 12 kills on a .250 attack percentage (12-6-24), and she had a block and service ace.
• LeBel posted her second double-double of the young season, collecting 14 digs and 11 kills. She also had three aces, an assist and a block.
• Jensen tallied seven kills, four digs and two service aces.
• Gentile came away with six kills and a pair of blocks.
• Vann was the only player with 20 or more digs, recording 26 for a new career-high. She also had four aces and two assists.
• Hovey contributed a team-leading 30 assists, as well as seven digs, two kills and two service aces.
• Smith recorded her first collegiate kills and had four for the match, along with a team-high three blocks.
• Opilka chipped in six assists, two digs and an ace.

Match Four:

• Gentile tallied a match-best 12 kills on a .500 attack percentage (12-2-20) with two digs and a block.
• Davis had a season-high nine kills, along with two digs and a solo block.
• Hunter finished with seven kills, three digs, an assist and a service ace.
• Hovey collected 22 assists and four digs.
• Vann totaled a team-high 11 digs with two assists and an ace.
• Born scored a team-leading three service aces along with a dig and a kill.
• Smith added four kills and a block.
• Sophomore outside hitter Lindsay O'Shea (Chincoteague, Va./Arcadia) posted her first collegiate kill.

Saint Xavier (0-4/0-0 CCAC) travels to Grand Rapids, Mich. to take part in the Aquinas College (Mich.) Tri-Match on Wednesday, August 28. They play the host Saints and 2:00 pm central time, followed by a match with Goshen College (Ind.) shortly after.