Sylvania, Ohio – Despite winning the first two sets, the Saint Xavier University women's volleyball team (1-3, 0-0 CCAC) could not carry the momentum the remainder of the match, losing in five sets (25-17, 25-21, 17-25, 19-25, 4-15) to Lourdes University (Ohio) Saturday afternoon in Sylvania, Ohio. Sophomore middle blocker
Carrington Smith (Flossmoor, Ill./Marian Catholic) led the Cougars with nine kills and a team-best four services aces, while adding two digs and a solo block. Senior setter
Samantha Hovey (Mackinaw, Ill./Heartland/Dee-Mack) continued her strong play to start the season by recording 17 digs, 16 assists, eight kills and a solo block. As a team, SXU posted season-highs in kills (46), assists (44), digs (79) and total blocks (6.0, five solos and two block assists).
- Fifth year senior libero Avanna Martinez (Coamo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Ponceno) led Saint Xavier defensively, scooping up 18 digs, while adding five assists and an ace. Martinez also hit a career milestone, becoming just the 10th player in program history to collect 1,400 or more career digs.
- Senior outside hitter Jenny Jensen (Orland Park, Ill./Cardinal Stritch/Sandburg) registered eight kills on a .318 attack percentage (8-1-22) and four digs.
- Senior defensive specialist Ariel Hoskin (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) finished with 15 digs, her second consecutive match with 10 or more digs, and she added a service ace.
- Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Delaney Panozzo (Grant Park, Ill./Grant Park) came away with seven kills, three blocks (two solos) and a dig.
- Senior middle blocker Nicole Grochola (Burbank, Ill./Reavis) tallied six kills, five digs, four assists and two blocks (one solo).
- Sophomore libero Taylor Vann (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness Catholic) posted seven digs, five assists and a career-high three kills.
- Junior setter Abbey Opilka (Dyer, Ind./Hanover Central) dished out 12 assists, along with two aces, two digs and a kill.
- Senior outside hitter Tara Glynn (Oak Lawn, Ill./Richards) added a pair of digs, two kills and a service ace.
- Sophomore middle blocker Eva Wintersteen (Burbank, Ill./Reavis) recorded her first collegiate kill, while sophomore setter/libero Raeley Mungcal (Tinley Park, Ill./Benedictine/Tinley Park) picked up an assist in her SXU debut.
Saint Xavier (1-3/0-0 CCAC) hosts No. 16 Viterbo University at the Shannon Center on Saturday, September 6 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) opener for the Cougars. The match is set for a 12:00 pm start in Chicago, Ill.
