On Sept. 10, GovState’s the women’s volleyball team faced off against its CACC rival Saint Xavier University. Both teams came into this game with a record of 4-5, SXU coming off a road win looking to start a hot streak, while the Jaguars came in from a loss to Olivet looking to take a fresh step. 

The Jaguars lost the first set, 15-25, some good flashes including the Jaguars run of 4 points, thanks in big part to a much needed injection of momentum from Senior Joharis Castillo with an ace and 2 forced errors.

The momentum carried into the second set, but the Jaguars still dropped the set 20-25, falling behind 2-0. The Jaguars came back to win the third set, 25-19, but dropped the deciding fourth set, 18-25.

While this was a disappointing loss, there were many silver linings and a lot of things to look forward to as the season progresses. It was evident that the team is on the rise, showing an ability to create and ride momentum forward.

There were also great performances from several players. Most notably senior Yareli Pacheco with a game high 25 assists and 10 digs, showing off her versatility. Signs of a strong defense also shone through as junior Layana Lima also accounted for 11 digs and sophomore Vanessa Segura saved another 10. These 3 players combined for over 60% of the teams total.

The Women’s Volleyball team will play Trinity Christian next Tuesday, Sept. 17, at home.