Men’s Volleyball drops season opener to #12 St. Xavier

Whiting, IN - Calumet College Men's Volleyball opened the 2023 season at The Ritt. as they hosted the 2022 CCAC MVB Champions, St. Xavier University. The Crimson Wave received votes in the NAIA VB Preseason Poll and SXU was ranked #12. CCSJ  had a tough opponent in front of them with the Cougars as their first match of the season.

The Wave started 3 returning players, including the 2022 CCAC Co-Freshman of the Year with Francis Hauze and Pedro Castillo, and 3 new players. 

CCSJ scored the first three points in Set 1, but once SXU got going the Crimson Wave couldn't quite stop them especially when St. Xavier's Oskar Kryzak was serving. The Wave dropped Set 1 25-13 with only 4 kills and 6 errors. 

The Wave started the 2nd Set ahead again, but in this set both teams went point-for-point until they were tied at 14-14. St. Xavier started to take off and CCSJ couldn't catch up enough to force a longer set, losing 25-22. The Crimson Wave had 12 kills in the 2nd Set but also had 7 errors that put SXU back in the game. 

In the 3rd and final set, CCSJ scored first but St. Xavier was up 7-1 before the Wave scored again. The Cougars were ahead 18-5 before Diego Esquivel served and put CCSJ back in the game with the score at 18-13. From there, the Wave couldn't make the comeback and lost the final set 25-15. 

Castillo led the Wave with 9 kills, 2 digs, and 2 blocks and Hauze had 5 kills and 3 digs. Diego Romero and Ari Moen each had 8 assists and 1 block. Esquivel had 4 service aces and 3 blocks. 

The Crimson Wave hosts Trinity Christian at The Ritt. on Tuesday, February 7th at 7:00 PM.