The Governors State men’s volleyball team started the spring season on a strong note, going 6 and 2 in its first eight games. Below is a roundup of those matches.

 GSU vs. St. Ambrose 

Result: L, 0-3 (14-25, 19-25, 18-25)
Governors State opened their season with a tough three-set loss to St. Ambrose. The Jaguars struggled offensively, hitting just .065 as a team and committing 22 attacking errors. Pedro Castillo led the team with 12 kills and a .208 hitting percentage, while Daniel Lopez added 4 kills. Setter Lucas Lapa contributed 19 assists. Defensively, the team managed only 22 digs, with Diego Antunez tallying 4.

GSU vs. William Penn

Result: W, 3-2 (28-26, 21-25, 16-25, 31-29, 15-13)
After falling behind 2-1, the Jaguars showed resilience in a thrilling five-set victory over William Penn. Diego Antunez led the charge with 19 kills on 47 attempts, while Daniel Lopez added 11 kills. Setter Pedro Castillo distributed 37 assists. Defensively, the Jaguars improved, with 52 team digs led by Castillo (13) and Lopez (9). The win evened their record at 1-1.

GSU vs. Kentucky State 

Result: W, 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-18)
Governors State dominated Kentucky State in straight sets, holding their opponent to a negative hitting percentage in two of three sets. Pedro Castillo had a near-flawless performance with 12 kills and a .733 hitting percentage. Daniel Lopez chipped in 6 kills, and the Jaguars collectively hit .196. The defense was solid, with 51 total digs, led by Maxim Beilmann and Pedro Oliveira.

GSU vs. St. Mary-of-the-Woods 

Result: W, 3-1 (25-27, 25-21, 25-20, 27-25)
The Jaguars overcame a first-set loss to rally past St. Mary-of-the-Woods. Daniel Lopez paced the offense with 17 kills, while Diego Antunez added 16. Pedro Castillo facilitated the attack with 39 assists, and the team registered 7 aces. Governors State’s defense was led by 43 digs and 7 total blocks.

GSU vs. UHSP (January 31, 2025)

Result: W, 3-0 (25-19, 29-27, 25-18)
Governors State extended their win streak with a straight-set victory over UHSP. Daniel Lopez led all scorers with 14 kills, while Pedro Castillo added 10. The team hit .242 overall, committing just 18 errors. Defensively, the Jaguars tallied 39 digs, led by libero Alex Strough (11).

GSU vs. Graceland 

Result: W, 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-16)
The Jaguars continued their hot streak, sweeping Graceland with a balanced offensive performance. Diego Antunez led with 11 kills, while Pedro Oliveira and Daniel Lopez each added 5. Pedro Castillo dished out 32 assists, and Governors State hit .184 as a team. Defensively, the team recorded 45 digs and 10 total blocks.

GSU vs. Missouri Baptist 

Result: L, 1-3 (18-25, 26-24, 23-25, 18-25)
Facing a tough Missouri Baptist squad, Governors State fought hard but fell in four sets. Daniel Lopez led the attack with 12 kills, while Pedro Castillo and Deigo Antunez each had 10. The team hit .173, struggling against Missouri Baptist’s strong defensive play. Lucas Lapa set up 40 assists, and the Jaguars recorded 48 digs.

GSU vs. Culver-Stockton 

Result: W, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-20)
Governors State bounced back quickly and dominated Culver-Stockton with efficient hitting (.232 team percentage). Daniel Lopez had 7 kills, Pedro Castillo 10, and Juan Saavedra 5. Lucas Lapa notched 23 assists, and the team totaled 6 blocks and 25 digs.

Looking forward:

 The Jaguars will face Trinity Christian on Feb. 4, hoping to continue this strong beginning to the season.