No. 2 SAINT XAVIER SWEEPS TIGERS IN CONFERENCE OPENER

CHICAGO, Ill. – Facing one of the top teams in the country, Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) ran into a dominant Saint Xavier University squad on Tuesday night, falling in straight sets, 3-0 (13-25, 16-25, 12-25). The Tigers struggled to find an offensive rhythm against the Cougars' size and strong execution, dropping their Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) opener on the road.

Saint Xavier controlled the first set from the start, using a 12-1 run to build an early lead. ONU struggled offensively, hitting just .095 in the frame, while the Cougars' attack was sharp, posting a .348 hitting percentage. Brody McAfee and Cameron Johnston provided a few bright spots at the net, but Saint Xavier closed out the set comfortably, 25-13.

The second set saw the Tigers put up more of a fight, taking an early lead before Saint Xavier responded with an 8-1 run. Johnston and Cade Ooms combined for five kills, but ONU hit just .033 as a team while the Cougars maintained their steady attack. A late push from the Tigers kept it competitive, but Saint Xavier pulled away to take the set, 25-16.

ONU struggled to generate momentum in the third, as Saint Xavier put together its best offensive performance of the night, hitting .400 as a team. The Cougars' aggressive serving kept the Tigers out of system, limiting ONU's attack to just eight kills in the final frame. McAfee finished with a team-high eight kills, but the Tigers couldn't slow down the Cougars, who completed the sweep with a dominant 25-12 final set​.

Looking Ahead

ONU looks to bounce back on Feb. 14th, when it travels to Bethel University for another road matchup. First serve is set for 6:00 p.m. CST.

--ONU—

*Contact Anyssa Hampton, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, ahampton@olivet.edu