Saint Xavier Makes It Seven In A Row In Men's Volleyball
CHICAGO --- Aided by a .376 attack percentage and 13 blocks on the afternoon, top-seeded Saint Xavier University claimed its seventh straight Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Men's Volleyball Tournament title with a 25-19, 25-16, 25-19 victory over No. 2 seed Governors State University on Saturday. The win was the 48th straight for the Cougars against a CCAC opponent and punched their ticket to the NAIA National Tournament April 28-May 2 at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Matt Pennala and Tysen Myers led the charge both offensively and defensively. Pennala had a club-high 14 kills to go along with his .407 attack clip and 3.5 blocks. Myers topped the charts in blocks (4.5) and attack percentage (.462), while collecting eight kills.
Donte Jennings also produced a .462 attack reading with his seven kills.
Setter Cameron Daniels was solid all around, as well, with his team-highs in assists (34), digs (seven) and aces (two). He also provided three kills in four chances.
Governors State's Pablo Pascual matched Pennala's 14 kills, but no other Jaguar had more than three kills.
Saint Xavier (28-3) opened up a 4-0 lead with two kills and two blocks – the story of the day – in Set 1 and the Cougars never looked back in that first game. Another 4-0 push turned an 11-9 lead into a 15-9 advantage and, without more than two straight points in succession, GSU could never rally.
The Jaguars (19-11) looked to even the match at one set apiece in Game 2, leading 14-9 a little bit past the midpoint. SXU, however, turned on an extra gear to overwhelm GSU with 16 of the final 18 points of the set to go up 2-0. Pennala was unstoppable with five kills and 2.5 blocks during the burst.
In Set 3, Governors State again led 8-5 before Saint Savier tied the contest at 11-all. The Cougars then went up 15-12 on a Pennala kill, 1.5 blocks from Myers and a kill and a half-block from Caydann Cox (seven kills). Six kills down the stretch – two each from Pennala and Myers – then wrapped up the match for the Cougars.
The complete tournament results follow:
Tuesday, April 14 - First Round
• Match #1: No. 4 St. Ambrose def. No. 5 Viterbo 25-18, 25-18, 21-25, 25-19
• Match #2: No. 3 Olivet Nazarene def. No. 6 Judson 25-19, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-8
Thursday, April 16 - Semifinal Round (at site of highest remaining seed)
• Match #3: No. 2 Governors State def. No. 3 Olivet Nazarene 25-22, 25-9, 25-20
• Match #4: No. 1 Saint Xavier def. No. 4 St. Ambrose 25-17, 25-17, 25-20
Saturday, April 18 – Championship (at site of highest remaining seed)
• Match #5: No. 1 Saint Xavier def. No. 2 Governors State 25-19, 25-16, 25-19