Kokomo, Ind. – In three matches, senior setter
Abbey Opilka (Dyer, Ind./Hanover Central) collected 44 assists, 18 digs, three service aces and a kill for the Saint Xavier University women's volleyball team (0-6, 0-0 CCAC) at the Indiana University Kokomo Tournament this weekend in Kokomo, Ind. The Cougars played No. 17 Aquinas College (Mich.) Friday afternoon, falling in three sets (13-25, 12-25, 19-25). SXU finished the tournament, losing twice on Saturday, losing to No. 9 Mt. Vernon Nazarene University (Ohio) 3-0 (16-25, 16-25, 15-25) in the morning and suffering a four-set defeat vs. Marian University (Ind.) (22-25, 25-23, 16-25, 19-25) in the afternoon.
Match one:
- Opilka handed out 13 assists with an ace and a dig.
- Freshman middle blocker Addison Hoeniges (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington Central Catholic) produced a team-high six kills and adding four digs.
- Senior outside hitter Aalyssa Gunn (Orlando, Fla./Trinity Christian/Orlando Christian Prep) came away with five digs, five kills, a block and a service ace.
- Junior libero Taylor Vann (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness Catholic) posted a team-best 13 digs.
- Junior setter Raeley Mungcal (Tinley Park, Ill./Benedictine/Tinley Park) scooped up five digs with four assists.
- Junior outside hitter Lauren Ahlstedt (Roselle, Ill./Harper/Lake Park) tallied a pair of kills with a dig.
- Senior outside hitter Kaylee Born (Plainfield, Ill./Oswego East) chipped in two aces and two kills.
- Freshman defensive specialist Emma Smola (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) had five digs, while junior middle blocker Ellie Graf (Loves Park, Ill./Rockford Christian) added an assist, a block, a dig and a kill.
Match Two:
- Opilka recorded her second double-double of the season, finishing with 10 assists and 10 digs.
- Vann led Saint Xavier with a team-high 15 digs, adding four assists.
- Gunn booked six kills and four digs.
- Senior middle blocker Delaney Panozzo (Grant Park, Ill./Grant Park) had five kills and four digs.
- Hoeniges registered a season-best seven digs, along with three kills, an assist and a block.
- Ahlstedt came away with three kills and two digs, and sophomore right side Ella O'Neill (Orland Park, Ill./Edgewood/Andrew) had three kills as well with a block assist.
- Mungcal amassed six digs, five assists, a service ace and her first kill as a Cougar.
- Junior defensive specialist Yuvia Velasquez (Burbank, Ill./Reavis) added seven digs and an assist as SXU logged a season-high 62 digs as a team.
Match Three:
- Opilka handed out a season-high 21 assists with seven digs, two aces and a kill.
- Vann dug up a season-best 16 digs, adding four assists and a service ace.
- Gunn set a new season-high with nine kills, along with five digs and three blocks.
- Ahlstedt also had a season-best kill total with nine as well, adding two blocks, an assist and a dig.
- Hoeniges stuffed the box score with eight blocks (one solo), eight kills, three aces, two digs and an assist.
- Mungcal came away with nine assists, six digs and a service ace.
- O'Neill logged five kills, two blocks, two digs and an assist.
- Born finished with three kills, two digs and an ace.
- Panozzo chipped in two blocks, two kills and a dig, while junior middle blocker Eva Wintersteen (Burbank, Ill./Reavis) added a block and a kill.
Saint Xavier (0-6/0-0 CCAC) begins Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) competition on Thursday, September 3 when the host Indiana University Northwest in their home opener. The match is slated for a 7:00 pm start on Bob Hallberg Court at the Shannon Center in Chicago, Ill.
