CHICAGO – Senior outside hitter
Matt Pennala (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach City/St. John Bosco) posted his third consecutive double-double to start the season as No. 2 ranked Saint Xavier University men's volleyball (3-0/0-0 CCAC) swept University of California Merced on the final day of the SXU Tournament Saturday afternoon on Bob Hallberg Court at the Shannon Center in Chicago, Ill. Pennala had 12 assists and a match-high tying 12 kills on a .455 attack percentage (12-2-22), along with four digs, three blocks and three service aces. The Cougars finished with a team attack percentage of .290 (40-11-100), their third straight match with an attack percentage of .270 or higher. SXU also recorded 50 or more digs for the second match in a row, collecting 52.
- Sophomore outside hitter Caydann Cox (Jamestown, N.D./Jamestown/Jamestown) had 12 kills as well on a .323 attack percentage (12-2-31) and six digs.
- Sophomore setter Cameron Daniels (Omaha, Neb./Millard West) posted his first career double-double after he tallied a match-high 18 assists and a career-best 14 digs.
- Senior outside hitter Sean Carey (Skokie, Ill./Niles West) collected seven digs and seven kills.
- Junior opposite hitter Oskar Krzyzak (Now Sacz, Poland/Szkota Mistrzostwa Sportowego Rzeszow) came away with five kills and two blocks.
- Junior libero Andres Velez (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico/St. Francis) finished with a match-high 21 digs, along with five assists,
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Graduate student middle blocker
Drew Ehlers (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) registered a match-best seven blocks (two solos), three kills, two assists and an ace.
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Redshirt senior outside hitter
Vejas Cuplinskas (Riverside, Ill./Riverside Brookfield) made his season debut with a kill and a solo block.
No. 2 Saint Xavier (3-0/0-0 CCAC) returns to action on Friday, January 31 when they host Mount Mercy University (Iowa) at the Shannon Center. The match is scheduled for a 7:00 pm first serve.
