Dearborn, Mich. – The Saints concluded their three-match road stand tonight (Sept. 27) with a trip to Dearborn to take on the Wolverines of UM-Dearborn. Aquinas entered the match on a four-match losing streak and were looking to get back on the right track tonight. AQ would do just that as the Saints would best UMD by a score of 3-1.
After winning by set scores of 25-15, 25-22, 17-25, and 25-17, the Saints improve to 6-14 on the season with a 3-4 WHAC record. AQ is currently in sixth place in the WHAC standings.
A 6-0 run featuring two kills from
Abbi Perkins, a kill from
Ryleigh Blough, and a block by Perkins and Blough gave AQ an early 7-2 advantage in the first set. The Saints would follow that run up with a 5-2 run, giving themselves a 12-4 advantage. The Wolverines went on a run of their own to narrow the AQ lead to just four points, but Aquinas would respond and increase the lead to nine points, holding a 20-11 advantage.
Samee Teachworth would contribute five kills during the first set as the Saints cruised to a 25-15 victory in set number one.
The second set started almost identically to the first set as another 6-0 run would give AQ a 6-2 advantage. UMD would then go on a run, only for AQ to respond with a 5-0 run for a 15-8 lead. The Saints appeared to be in the driver's seat with a 19-13 advantage, but UM-Dearborn would score the next eight straight points to erase the deficit and give themselves a two-point lead. The Saints would then respond to that adversity, scoring six of the next seven points to give themselves a 25-22 second set victory.
The third set would go off script for the visiting side as multiple runs for UMD would give them a 14-8 advantage. Aquinas was never quite able to get its footing in the third set and the Wolverines were able to run away with a 25-17 win.
Aquinas would get back on track and find themselves in a familiar position with the score 12-4 in its favor. The early eight-point deficit was too much for the home side to overcome as UMD was unable to string any runs together. Both sides continued trading points back-and-forth until Aquinas ended the fourth set with a 25-17 victory, giving themselves a 3-1 match victory. Perkins and
Brooke Nicholson would combine for eight kills throughout the set.
The Saints held the statistical advantage in most categories, leading in kills (48-43), hitting percentage (.242-.160), aces (7-6), and assists (42-39). UMD topped AQ in blocks (8-7) and digs (53-45).
Teachworth led the team in kills with 13 (.135) on the night. She also contributed an assist, an ace, and three digs to her stat line.
Perkins was right behind Teachworth with 11 kills of her own with an impressive .342 hitting percentage. With a solo block and four block assist to her name, Perkins was also the team leader in blocks. Two aces and four digs rounded out a very solid stat line for the junior outside hitter.
Nicholson had nine kills on a team-high .364 hitting percentage and two block assists on the night.
Cassie Sustrich did a little bit of everything from the setter position. She had 39 assists, three kills, two aces, a block assist, and ten digs throughout the match.
The Saints return to action this Friday (Sept. 30) against Madonna inside the Sturrus Sports and Fitness Center. The match is set to begin at 7:00 PM.
