SXU's Pennala, Oviedo, ONU's Staranchuk Claim Men's Volleyball Weekly Awards For Second Time

CHICAGO --- Saint Xavier University's Matt Pennala (Long Beach, Calif.) and Christian Oviedo (Brea, Calif.) and Olivet Nazarene University's Sterling Staranchuk (Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada) each collected their second Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference men's volleyball weekly award of the season when the league office made the announcement on Tuesday.

Pennala was named the CCAC Attacker of the Week courtesy of his 4.00 kills-per-set average and .314 hitting clip.  He also averaged 1.7 digs per set and totaled seven service aces and five blocks in three league wins.

The junior outside hitter recorded double-figure kill counts in victories over Olivet Nazarene University (15 kills) last Tuesday and Roosevelt University (16) on Saturday.  He also produced attacking percentages of .500 in a three-set win over Trinity Christian College on Thursday and .545 in the Roosevelt match.

Oviedo picked up his second consecutive CCAC Setter of the Week award after averaging 10.1 assists per set over the three matches and his eight sets played.  The highlight for the senior was his career-high 46 sets in the four-game win over Olivet Nazarene.

Winners of six matches in a row, the NAIA No. 10-ranked Cougars are 12-8 overall and a perfect 7-0 against league competition.

Staranchuk, meanwhile, earned his second straight CCAC Defender of the Week award by averaging 2.14 blocks per set.  In two matches played covering seven sets last week, the senior middle blocker totaled five solo blocks and 10 assist blocks.  He also recorded five kills in each match.

Staranchuk ended the week with nine blocks in a three-set win over Judson University on Thursday.  He opened it with six stuffs in a four-set loss to Saint Xavier University last Tuesday.

Olivet Nazarene is 10-9 overall and 5-2 in CCAC play.  

Other Attacker Nominees: Francis Hauze (Calumet St. Joseph), Alex Costa (Trinity Christian), Nick Fox (St. Ambrose), Jaiton Kamaunu (Olivet Nazarene), Mason Snodgrass (Judson).

Other Defender Nominees: Jackson Otto (Judson), Maycor Carrion (Trinity Christian), Gioele Iacono (Calumet St. Joseph), Ethan Karban (St. Ambrose), Andres Velez (Saint Xavier).

Other Setter Nominees: Tomas Gonzalez (Olivet Nazarene), Elijah Wrobel (Judson), Anthony Anderson (St. Ambrose), Pedro Castillo (Calumet St. Joseph), Ryan Schmidt (Trinity Christian).