CHICAGO – The Saint Xavier University women's volleyball (7-17/7-8 CCAC) lost in four sets (19-25, 23-25, 25-21, 23-25) to Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) contest Tuesday evening on Bob Hallberg Court at the Shannon Center in Chicago, Ill. Senior setter
Abbey Opilka (Dyer, Ind./Hanover Central) finished with a match-high 24 assists, along with nine digs, four kills and a block. Senior middle blocker
Delaney Panozzo (Grant Park, Ill./Grant Park) and freshman middle blocker
Addison Hoeniges (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington Central Catholic) became the first pair of Cougar teammates since 1996 to each have four solo blocks in a match, single-match records only go back to 1996, with Hoeniges totaling six blocks and Panozzo five, respectively. SXU totaled 13.0 blocks, a season-high, and a season-best nine solo blocks.
Prior to the start of the match, Saint Xavier celebrated 'Senior/Family Night' with the freshman, sophomores and juniors handing out roses to their parents in attendance before the four seniors were recognized with a short ceremony. Honored on 'Senior Night' were outside hitter Kayley Born (Plainfield, Ill./Oswego East), outside hitter
Aalyssa Gunn (Orlando, Fla./Trinity Christian/Orlando Christian Prep), Opilka and Panozzo.
- Gunn posted a match-best 12 kills with six digs and two blocks.
- Panozzo added seven kills and four digs.
- Sophomore right side Ella O'Neill (Orland Park, Ill./Edgewood/Andrew) tallied seven kills as well, along with a pair of digs.
- Junior libero Taylor Vann (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness Catholic) came away with a match-leading 15 digs. She also had four assists, two service aces and a kill, just her second of the season.
- Hoeniges also had five kills, four digs, a team-high three aces, and an assist.
- Junior defensive specialist Yuvia Velasquez (Burbank, Ill./Reavis) logged nine digs, two assists and a service ace.
- Freshman defensive specialist Emma Smola (Tinely Park, Ill./Andrew) collected five digs, an ace and an assist, while junior middle blocker Ellie Graf (Loves Park, Ill./Rockford Christian) chipped in three blocks (one solo) and a dig.
Saint Xavier (7-17/7-8 CCAC) has a quick turnaround as they host No. 19 Viterbo University at the Shannon Center on Wednesday, October 28. The match is set for a 6:00 pm first serve.
