JOLIET, Ill. --- In a match that featured 40 ties and 18 lead changes, the University of St. Francis women's volleyball team came out of its hard-fought scrape with Saint Xavier University, knocking off the defending Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament champions 23-25, 25-18, 25-22, 20-25, 15-11 at the Sullivan Center on Tuesday night.

Gabriela Oliveira tied her career high with 26 kills to go along 15 digs as one of two Saints to tally double-doubles.  She also notched a .288 attack percentage.

Kaylie Sippel provided the other one with her 47 assists and 18 digs, while Desiree Anderson just missed out on that feat with her 15 kills, nine digs and five aces.  Other key pieces to the puzzle were Leah Talley (13 digs), Abby Sippel (21 digs), Taylor Connolly (nine kills) and Cadence Wodrich (three blocks).

The first set accounted for the most ties with 12, while also being one of three sets to have five lead changes.  USF led 6-1 at the start behind two Connolly kills before Saint Xavier (10-12, 7-4 CCAC) countered with the next six points. 

Oliveira then delivered four kills in succession to regain a 15-11 advantage only to have Saint Xavier respond with its own 4-0 burst to take a 19-18 edge.  Tied at 23-all, the Cougars scored the final two points to prevail 25-23.

Set 2 belonged to Anderson.  The senior outside hitter recorded two kills and an ace during a 4-0 run to put the Saints up 7-4.  She then registered another three kills as part of a five-point unanswered string to build a 15-8 lead before wrapping up the set with two kills and two aces as part of a closing 6-2 run.

USF (8-16, 6-3) took a 2-1 match advantage in Set 3 by opening with a 4-1 lead.  The Saints then fell behind 6-4 before using a 6-0 run to go back on top 11-9.  Ties at 12, 13 and 14 eventually resulted before St. Francis built a 17-14 lead.  The Saints then claimed the set with a pair of Oliveira kills as part of a final 4-2 run.

The second biggest see-saw set came in Set 4.  After Saint Xavier took an early 6-2 lead, 11 ties and five lead changes resulted before the Cougars scored six of the final seven points to force a fifth set.

Nine ties resulted in Set 5 before the Saints gained kills from Connolly, Oliveira and Madison Koelker as part of a closing 5-1 burst to claim the match.

Notes: The contest was the Saints' annual Breast Cancer Awareness Night … Oliveira has delivered 20-plus kills in each of her last three contests … Kaylie Sippel took over the team lead in double-doubles with ten, while Oliveira inched closer with her seventh … Oliveira has produced double-figure dig totals in each of her last five matches … Kaylie Sippel tied her career high in digs with 18 … Anderson's five aces were also a career high … The Saints are at Governors State University on Thursday for a 7 pm conference tilt.   

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