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Saint Xavier University

Official Athletics Website of the Saint Xavier University Cougars

MVB_NAIA_4_29_25
2
Benedictine Mesa (AZ) BENEDICT 17-7
3
Winner Saint Xavier (IL) SAINT XA 29-0
Benedictine Mesa (AZ) BENEDICT
17-7
2
Final
3
Saint Xavier (IL) SAINT XA
29-0
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Benedictine Mesa (AZ) BENEDICT 22 29 27 25 12 (2)
Saint Xavier (IL) SAINT XA 25 31 25 21 15 (3)

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball |

No. 2 SXU Outlasts No. 10 Benedictine Mesa in Five-Set Thriller

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – The No. 2 ranked Saint Xavier University men's volleyball team (29-0/12-0 CCAC) outlasted No. 10 Benedictine University Mesa (Ariz.) in a five-set thriller (25-22, 31-29, 25-27, 21-25, 15-12) to begin Pool B play at the NAIA Men's Volleyball National Championship Tournament Tuesday afternoon at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Cougars took a 2-0 lead into the third set and held match-point up 24-23, however the RedHawks rallied to win the frame and take the fourth set at well. Senior opposite hitter/setter Matt Pennala (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach City/St. John Bosco) finished with a match-best 27 kills along with 13 digs, four assists, three blocks and two service aces. He had four kills in the final set, including the penultimate kill before graduate student middle blocker Drew Ehlers (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) recorded the winning kill.
  • Sophomore outside hitter Caydann Cox (Jamestown, N.D./Jamestown/Jamestown) finished the match with a new-career high in kills with 22 on a .391 attack percentage (22-4-46) with 10 digs, a match-best four aces and a block. His service ace after the team's switched benches to give SXU a 9-7 advantage helped to turn the momentum.
  • Sophomore setter Cameron Daniels (Omaha, Neb./Millard West) topped the 50-assist mark for the second time this season, collecting 52 in the winning effort. He added 12 digs, an ace and a block.
  • Redshirt senior outside hitter Vejas Cuplinskas (Riverside, Ill./Riverside Brookfield) totaled 11 kills to go along with two digs and a block.
  • Junior libero Andres Velez (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico/St. Francis) was a force defensively, scooping up a match-high 17 digs and he added a season-best tying seven assists.
  • Ehlers recorded four kills, three blocks, three digs and an assist.
  • Senior middle blocker Alessandro Gianotti (Desio, Italy/BYU/Leonardo Da Vinci) made an impact in his season debut, coming away with a match-best tying four blocks (one solo), three kills and a dig.
  • Senior outside hitter Sean Carey (Skokie, Ill./Niles West) registered five digs, while junior opposite hitter Oskar Krzyzak (Now Sacz, Poland/Szkota Mistrzostwa Sportowego Rzeszow) added a pair of kills in the victory.
No. 2 Saint Xavier (29-0/12-0 CCAC) returns to Pool B action on Thursday, May 1 against No. 7 Grand View University (Iowa) at 1:00 pm.
 
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