Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Saints traveled across town last night (Aug. 27) to compete in a tri-match against IU-Northwest (3-3) and Grace Christian (0-1). AQ entered the pair of matches looking for its first win of the season. The young team came so close to victory in three of their four matches at the 2022 AQ Classic but fell just short of the mark.
The Indiana University Northwest Redhawks would have AQ's number in the first match, earning themselves a 3-0 victory for their fourth win of the season. The tides would turn in the following match as the Saints were able to break through for their first victory of the young season. AQ would pick up a convincing 3-0 sweep over the Grace Christian Tigers to improve to 1-5 on the season.
Match 1: Aquinas 0, IU-Northwest 3. Set scores: 20-25, 13-25, and 18-25.
Aquinas would take the early advantage in the first set and the score would remain close until the mid-point of the set. The Redhawks would go on a 6-0 run to take a 19-13 lead. A couple of aces from
Ryleigh Blough and a kill from
Kaylin Poole would reduce the deficit to just four points. However, it would be a little bit too little, too late as the Redhawks would close out the first set 25-20.
The second set would be controlled in its entirety by the Redhawks as they jumped out early and never took their foot off the gas. After two sets, IUN had a 2-0 lead and had its eyes on a 3-0 victory.
IU-Northwest never let go of the momentum as Aquinas found themselves down 14-7 in the third set. AQ would reduce the deficit to five points but couldn't quite get closer. The Redhawks sealed the deal with a 25-18 victory in the third set.
Claire Phillips once again led the team in kills (6) with an impressive .556 hitting percentage. She also had a solo block and a dig over the course of the match.
Poole had the most digs for the Saints this match with a personal-best 10, while also contributing ten assists and a kill.
Match 2: Aquinas 3, Grace Christian 0. Set scores: 25-22, 25-12, 25-20.
The Saints and the Tigers quickly got into back-and-forth action to start the second match of the night. Phillips and
Brenna Poole would provide the main attacking force for AQ early in the match as they each had three kills prior to the 13th point. Aquinas held a slim lead throughout the entirety of the first set. Five consecutive errors from the Tigers would give the Saints a commanding 24-20 lead late in the set. Grace Christian would pull a couple of points back, but a kill from Phillips would end the first set 25-22 in favor of the visiting side.
Set number two would be all Aquinas after 6-0 run gave them a 12-6 lead. Philips would get three aces over the course of the that run as the Saints quickly put Grace in the rear-view mirror. The Tigers stopped the 6-0 run only for AQ to go on an 8-0 run a few points later.
Julia Schweihofer would one-up Phillips with four aces during the run. With a commanding 22-8 advantage, Phillips and
Melissa Beachnau would quickly end the set with two kills and a block.
With all of the momentum, the Saints set out to end the match in set three and give themselves a much-needed win on Saturday. A big set from
Brenna Poole and Beachnau would do just that as the Saints would win the set 25-20.
Brenna Poole set a career-high in kills with nine (.400), a team-high for the match. She also had three aces and seven digs in the winning effort.
Beachnau tied her career-high in kills with seven as she converted on seven of her ten attack attempts. She also had four solo blocks and a dig to cap off a great match.
Schweihofer had a team-leading four aces and 11 digs (both career-highs), while also adding four kills to her stat line.
Kaylin Poole played well from the setter position, setting up 28 kills (another career-high) while also contributing a kill and six digs.
Aquinas has another busy weekend this upcoming week (Sept. 2-3) with another tournament, this time on the road. AQ will be competing against #16 Indiana Wesleyan, Missouri Valley, St. Francis, and (RV) Loyola in the 2022 St. Francis Tournament.
