Joliet, Ill. – For the second match in a row, sophomore middle blocker Carrington Smith (Flossmoor, Ill./Marian Catholic) established a new career-high in kills, collecting 16, and redshirt sophomore middle blocker Delaney Panozzo (Grant Park, Ill./Grant Park) posted a career-best 16 kills as well to help send the No. 3 seeded Saint Xavier University women's volleyball team (18-9, 14-4 CCAC) to the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Tournament Championship after a thrilling five-set triumph (25-22, 23-25, 25-21, 22-25, 15-9) over No. 2 University of St. Francis (Ill.) in the semifinals Thursday evening at the Sullivan Center in Joliet, Ill. The Cougars gained a measure of revenge after falling to the Fighting Saints in five-sets on October 28, also in Joliet, Ill. With the win, SXU will compete in the CCAC Tournament Championship for the second consecutive year and the sixth time in the last nine seasons. Saint Xavier also earns an automatic berth into the 2025 NAIA Women's Volleyball Championship Opening Round as a result of regular season champion Viterbo University (Wis.) also reaching the tournament championships.

• Smith added four blocks (three solos), a dig and a service ace.
• Panozzo also had five blocks (four solos) and three digs. She tied her career-high in total blocks and solo blocks.
• Senior setter Samantha Hovey (Mackinaw, Ill./Heartland/Dee-Mack) posted her sixth triple-double of 2025, finishing with 25 assists, 23 digs and 10 kills. She also came away with an ace.
• Junior setter Abbey Opilka (Dyer, Ind./Hanover Central) tallied her fourth double-double of the year with 23 assists and 13 digs, along with a pair of service aces.
• Fifth year senior libero Avanna Martinez (Coamo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Ponceno) recorded a match-best 32 digs. It was her fifth match with 30 or more digs this season. She added five assists and an ace.
• Graduate student defensive specialist Katie DeHaan (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) finished with 12 digs, her eighth match with 10 or more digs in 2025, with two aces and an assist.
• Senior outside hitter Jenny Jensen (Orland Park, Ill./Cardinal Stritch/Sandburg) registered seven kills and three digs.
• Senior outside hitter Tara Glynn (Oak Lawn, Ill./Richards) collected five digs, five kills and an assist.
• Senior middle blocker Nicole Grochola (Burbank, Ill./Reavis) had three kills, a dig and a solo block.
• Sophomore libero/defensive specialist Taylor Vann (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness Catholic) scooped up nine digs with two service aces.
• Senior defensive specialist Ariel Hoskin (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) chipped in four digs and an assist, while junior outside hitter Kaylee Born (Plainfield, Ill./Oswego East) added two digs and a pair of kills.

No. 3 Saint Xavier (18-9/14-4 CCAC) makes the trip to La Crosse, Wis. to face No. 1 Viterbo University (Wis.) in the CCAC Tournament Championship on Saturday, November 15. Time of the match has not been determined.