Emily Mayers of Xavier addresses the volleyball.

I should start by saying I know almost nothing about competitive volleyball, except I have three tall, beautiful nieces who are fiends at it. One plays for Xavier University (which is not pronounced X-zavier, you fools), one plays for Wittenberg College, and one plays for Bishop Dwenger High School, my alma mater.

Xavier played George Washington University in DC last night, so I went to see Emily play. What an exciting match! Xavier lost, and Emily didn’t play much, but it was a great game, with long volleys and many ties. Women on both teams set career records for digs, kills and double-doubles. I’m not sure what those are, but they sound impressive. It was a barn-burner and an instant classic, the GW story said. Xavier’s story noted it was “a tough loss.” That it was.