The #10 Aquinas men's volleyball team nearly upended #2 Campbellsville on its own home floor on Sunday (Mar. 8) in Kentucky, but the home Tigers scored the final three points of the match to earn the five-set thriller. The teams alternated the first four sets before Campbellsville sealed the victory with the 15-12 win in the fifth set.
Sunday's decision left AQ at 12-6 on the year, while the previously #1-ranked Tigers are now 20-2 overall. The final line score of the two-hour, eight-minute battle saw the Saints fall by scores of 27-29, 25-12, 22-25, 25-14, and 12-15. It was an odd box score, as Aquinas won its two sets by 13 and 11 points, while Campbellsville won its three sets by just two, three, and three points. AQ has not lost to a team outside of the top-10 this season.
The overall team stats were pretty balanced, with each team being stronger in certain categories. Aquinas (.167) outhit CU (.097), but the Tigers held a 49-42 advantage in kills and naturally a 47-39 edge in assists. AQ led in aces (9-5) and team blocks (15.5 to 13), while each team recorded 50 digs. Campbellsville committed 19 service errors, while the Saints made 15 errors on the serve.
Zane Moothart put up a 14-kill, 10-dig double-double, adding four blocks and two aces.
Ruben Lopez totaled nine kills, seven digs, and five block assists, while
Joshua Boothroyd added seven kills, seven digs, and three aces.
Matthew Glass notched seven block assists and put down six kills in 10 swings, while
Robert Valerio recorded seven total blocks (three solo) and five kills in 11 attempts.
Colby Elder delivered 36 assists to go with seven digs and three block assists.
Kelsey Yogi led AQ with 16 digs and he also served up three aces.
Aquinas held leads of 23-22, 24-23, 25-24, 26-25, and 27-26 in the first set, but Campbellsville scored the final three points and took the wild opening frame, 29-27.
The Saints scored 15 of the final 17 points to win set two, after the teams were tied at 10-10. AQ forced the Tigers in to a -.276 hitting percentage (six kills, 14 errors).
Campbellsville took control in the middle of the third set and although the Saints stayed close at 17-16, the Tigers would close out the 25-22 victory to move in front 2-1 in the match.
Just like set two, the score was tied at 10-10 and again at points 11, 12, and 13. From there, Aquinas closed the set on a 12-1 surge to win handedly, 25-14, and force the pivotal fifth set.
Incredibly, the decisive fifth set was tied at points 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 before Campbellsville used back-to-back-to-back kills to finish off the terrific top-10 matchup.
Aquinas continues its trip south and heads to Waleska, Georgia to face off with Reinhardt on Monday (Mar. 9) at 7:00 p.m.
