A tough opening day schedule for the #16 Aquinas women's volleyball team saw the Saints drop a 3-0 decision to #20 Jamestown at the GoSarpy.com Labor Day Volleyball Classic in Bellevue, Neb. on Friday (Aug. 30). AQ fell in straight sets to the Jimmies by scores of 25-13, 25-20, and 25-14.
 
Friday afternoon's match marked the second strong opponent that Aquinas squared off with in the early-season tournament. The Saints suffered a 3-0 defeat to a 7-1 Evangel team earlier on Friday and Jamestown improved to 5-1 with its straight set victory. AQ is now 1-2 on the season and looks to regroup on Saturday's (Aug. 31) final day of play.
 
The Jimmies (32 kills) did not overpower Aquinas (26) offensively, but were more efficient, as Jamestown managed a .208 hitting percentage compared to a .018 mark for the Saints. The teams were tied in blocks (six apiece), while UJ led in aces (8-1), digs (50-43), and assists (30-23). 
 
For the second time on Friday, Kylie Christensen led the AQ offense with seven kills, while adding three block assists. Payton Klein put down six kills and just one error in 15 attempts to go with two digs, an ace, and a block assist. 
 
Kali Crawford provided 15 assists, eight digs, and five kills, while Karly Morris picked up 14 digs and handed out five assists. Meredith Kraus totaled three kills, two digs, and a block. Ally Blackford supplied three kills, three digs, and a pair of block assists, while Kenzie Sanders tied Christensen with a team-high three block assists. 
 
The Saints return to the court on Saturday to face #11 Dordt (2:00 p.m. ET) and College of Saint Mary (6:00 p.m. ET) before returning home for four matches next weekend (Sept. 6-7) at the Aquinas/Cornerstone Invitational.