Grand Rapids, Mich. — Sophomore setter Cassie Sustrich celebrated her 1,000th career assist but the Aquinas women's volleyball team suffered a 3-0 home defeat to Madonna Friday evening (Sept. 30). The Crusaders (6-8, 3-5 WHAC) won by set scores of 25-23, 25-22, 25-21.

The Saints moved to 6-15 overall (3-5 WHAC) after now losing five of its last six matches.

Aquinas opened a 9-4 lead in the opening set before Madonna pulled even at 13-13 and then scored four more points to take its biggest lead of the set at 17-14. The Saints recovered in time to force another tie at 23-23 following a tag-team block by Ryleigh Blough and Abbi Perkins. However, Kira Buza put the set away 25-23 with two straight kills for Madonna.

Buza had six of her nine kills in the first set, while Sustrich also tossed up her 1,000th assist in the opening frame.

The middle set saw the Crusaders race out to a commanding 22-15 lead before the Saints called a timeout. AQ scored the next seven points to knot the score at 22-22. Samee Teachworth, Brooke Nicholson and Perkins each provided kills in the spurt. But, once again, Madonna won the set late. A kill from Kacia Stoneburner and a pair of aces from Molly Miller finished the Saints off, 25-22.

Serving was off-and-on throughout the match. The two teams combined for 12 aces (five Madonna, seven Aquinas) and 20 service errors (11 Madonna, nine Aquinas). Miller and AQ libero Jennifer Johnson each provided a match-high three aces.

The third set went back-and-forth up to 17-17 with no team able to build a cushion that was more than three points. The last time Aquinas was within a point was at 21-20 following a Teachworth kill. Madonna scored four out of the last five points to finish the sweep.

Miller finished with a match-high 10 kills. The Crusaders finished with 12 more kills (43-31) on a better hitting percentage (.276 to .152). The Saints were led in kills by Teachworth (9), Nicholson (8) and Blough (5). Sustrich finished with 23 assists in the match.

Aquinas is back in action tomorrow (Oct. 1) at 1 p.m. against Concordia inside the Sturrus Center.