Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Saints returned to action this afternoon (Oct. 22) after picking up a huge upset victory over Indiana Tech last night. Aquinas went face-to-face with the 11-5 UNOH Racers who swept them earlier this season. History would repeat itself as Aquinas would win the match in four sets, winning by set scores of 25-28, 20-25, 25-16, and 25-17. The Saints now hold a two-match win streak.

Aquinas improves to 10-19 on the season with a 6-9 conference record. UNOH is now 11-16 with a 4-11 WHAC record.

Aquinas started off the first set hot as an ace from Jennifer Johnson and a big kill from Brooke Nicholson would give AQ a 2-0 lead. The Saints would grow that lead to 10-3, but UNOH would rally back and narrow the deficit to just one point. AQ would respond well and grow its lead back, taking an 18-13 advantage and forcing the visiting team to use its first timeout.

The timeout wouldn't stop the AQ momentum as an error from UNOH, a kill from Nicholson, and consecutive aces from Cassie Sustrich would increase the AQ lead to nine. UNOH would take its last timeout with the score at 22-13. The Racers would get a couple points back, but a kill from Nicholson and Kaylin Poole would close out the first set 25-16 in favor of the Saints. Nicholson had five kills during the first set with a .571 hitting percentage.

The second set was much closer as the two sides traded points back-and-forth. With the score at 9-9, AQ would go on a 3-0 run to take a 12-9 lead. However, the Racers would score the next six of seven points to take a 15-13 lead and force AQ to use its first timeout of the set. The University of Northwestern Ohio would grow its lead to 18-15, but a huge kill from Samee Teachworth would get the Saints fired up. AQ would tie the set at 19-19, however, the visiting side would take three of the next four points to take a 22-20 lead and force AQ to use its second timeout of the set.

UNOH would keep the momentum rolling as a pair of aces and an attacking error from Aquinas would end the second set 25-20 in favor of the Racers.

Set number three would start with a 2-0 lead for UNOH, but AQ would absolutely rally back. The Saints would go on a 5-0 run and proceed to keep their foot on the gas, racing out to a 12-5 lead and forcing a UNOH timeout. The Saints' momentum would not slow down as a huge kill from Teachworth and a couple of kills from Abbi Perkins would maintain the AQ lead. UNOH would use its second timeout with the score at 19-12 in favor of the home side.

The timeout would, once again, not work as a three-kill set from Nicholson and a five-kill set from Perkins would power AQ to a 25-16 win in the third set. The Saints now controlled the match with a 2-1 lead.

AQ did not let go of that momentum going into the fourth set. AQ jumped out to an early 6-0 lead and eventually grew the lead to seven, taking a 12-5 advantage and forcing UNOH to use its first timeout. Even coming out of the timeout, the Racers could not slow down Aquinas. The Saints would win the third set in dominant fashion, winning 25-17 and picking up another 3-1 set victory.

The Saints dominated the statistical battle, leading in nearly all categories. AQ held the edge in kills (50-39), hitting percentage (.248-.114), aces (9-5), blocks (11-6), and assists (44-37). UNOH had more digs than AQ, leading 45-41.

Perkins played better as the match went on, tallying two kills in the first set, four in the second, five in the third, and six in the fourth for a total of 17 kills (.314 hitting percentage). She also had three block assists from the front line.

Nicholson was just behind Perkins in kills with 16 of her own on a .448 hitting percentage. She would add two digs, a solo block, and four block assists in addition to her kills in the winning effort.

Teachworth led the team in blocks with two solo block and four block assists. Additionally, she had eight kills with a .438 hitting percentage and two digs.

Jordyn Carlyle played well as the libero, averaging nearly five digs per set with 19 on the match. She would add two aces to her stat line for the match.

Sustrich averaged over ten assists per set in the win with 43 over four sets. She also had two kills, four aces, two digs, and three block assists.

AQ is back in action on Wednesday (Oct. 27) for another home match. This time, the Saints are set to take on UM-Dearborn at 7:00 PM.