Sylvania, Ohio — After the first two sets were polar opposites, the rest of the match was highly-contested as Lourdes needed five sets to upend the visiting Aquinas women's volleyball team Friday evening (Oct. 14) by set scores of 12-25, 25-13, 27-29, 26-24, 15-11.

AQ (8-17, 4-7 WHAC) is now 3-5 in five-set matches this season. While Lourdes (9-12, 5-7 WHAC) got revenge for its 3-2 loss at Aquinas earlier this season on Sept. 17.

The Saints came out and dominated the opening set. A kill by Brooke Nicholson had AQ rolling up 15-5. Then, a 5-0 run deep in the frame, pushed the advantage out to 21-9. An attack error by Lourdes wrapped up set point at 25-12.

Despite Aquinas scoring the first two points of the second set, Lourdes bounced back in a hurry to even the score at 1-1. Tied at 7-7 in the second set, the Gray Wolves used a 10-2 run to pull away for an eventual 25-13 set win. Lourdes hit a match-high .323 in the frame.

Throwing punches back-and-forth, the Saints countered by hitting a match-high . 314 in the third frame to take a 2-1 lead even after facing set point four times. The first time was at 21-24, but Samee Teachworth provided a much-needed kill. A Lourdes' attack error and then kill by setter Cassie Sustrich allowed AQ to escape the next two set points at 22-24 and 23-24. The Gray Wolves again pushed the Saints to the brink at 26-27 but AQ scored the next three points to win the middle frame. Nicholson and Abbi Perkins each provided kills before the set ending on a rare triple block made by Nicholson, Perkins and Claire Phillips.

AQ watched a 17-8 lead vanish in the four set. Lourdes used three separate runs of 5-0, 4-0 and 3-0 to claw back and even the set at 22-22. The Gray Wolves scored four out of the final five points to complete the comeback. Abby Gentile and Jolie Sobb provided kills for the last two points.

The fifth and decisive set was last tied at 7-7. Perkins' last kill of the match got AQ back within two points at 12-10. But, shortly following McKenna Hall's match-high 17th kill for Lourdes, two Saints attack errors finished off the match at 15-11.

Nicholson paced AQ with 13 kills and four blocks. Perkins finished with 12 kills and three blocks. Teachworth had five blocks — tied for the third-most she has had in a match this season. Sustrich tossed up 42 assists and Jordyn Carlyle had a career-high 28 digs.

Both teams were similar statwise across the board with Lourdes edging out Aquinas in the following stats: hitting percentage (.137 to .135), kills (53-49) and blocks (10-9). AQ had more aces (7-6) and digs (74-73).

The Saints don't have much time to recover with a 1 p.m. road WHAC match Saturday (Oct. 15) at Siena Heights. SHU swept AQ earlier this season (Sept. 18) inside the Sturrus Center.