A back-and-forth Friday (Sept. 29) night battle in Livonia, Mich. went Aquinas' way, as the Saints battled back from a 2-1 deficit to top Madonna in a thrilling five-set finish. AQ roared back to win the fourth set decisively (25-12) before clinching the victory with a 15-10 score in the fifth frame.
 
It was a great five-set contest between two of the WHAC's top teams, with each school having its way during the match. Madonna eeked out the first set (26-24) before the schools trading lopsided scores in the second (AQ 25-15) and third (MU 25-16) stanzas. Aquinas used the momentum from a dominating fourth set performance to score six of the final eight points in the decisive fifth set.
 
The win pushes AQ to 18-4 overall and 7-1 in WHAC action. Madonna dips to 9-7 on the season; the Crusaders are 5-3 in league play. The Saints improve to 4-1 in five-setters this year, including 2-0 in five-set conference matches.
 
Aquinas was more dominant offensively, hitting .296 with 52 kills and limiting Madonna to a .211 attack clip and 44 kills. The Saints served up 19 aces in the victory, while also leading in assists (50-43) and digs (41-37). Both teams recorded five blocks.
 
A wild first frame saw an early seven-point Madonna lead and eventually a 24-22 Aquinas advantage. However, the Crusaders tallied the final four points of the set to pull out a stunning 26-24 victory. 
 
The Saints knotted the match at one set apiece thanks to a big 7-0 run in the middle of set two; Abby Perkins put down four kills and Julie Schweihofer served two aces during the surge to an 18-11 edge. Two late aces from Jordyn Carlyle helped AQ cruise to the 25-15 win.
 
Aquinas was in front 13-12 in the third set after a kill from Cece Pelak and another Schweihofer ace. Madonna, however, scored 13 of the next 16 points to pull away with a 25-16 triumph.
 
A 7-2 Saints lead in set four grew to 16-6 on the heels of a Perkins kill, an ace from Jennifer Johnson, and a combined block from Lauren Chioini and Lydia Harper. Kills from Chioini and Harper sandwiched a Harper ace, as the Saints tallied the final three points en route to the 25-12 domination.
 
Similar to the third set, a Pelak kill and a Schweihofer ace helped Aquinas push ahead 7-2 in the fifth. Madonna pulled within a point twice, including at 9-8. Samee Teachworth posted a kill and the Crusaders committed a hitting error to make it 11-8, AQ. The Saints' final four points all came on kills; the first was from Jenna Lee, while Perkins capped her terrific evening with match-ending back-to-back-to-back kills.
 
Perkins put away 19 kills in just 29 swings for an outstanding .517 hitting percentage. Pelak was almost flawless with 10 kills and just one error for a .346 mark. Pelak was one of three Saints – along with Schweihofer and Carlyle – with four aces. Harper (41 assists, six digs, five kills) and Chloe Hogarth each added three service aces.
 
Teachworth recorded nine kills and Lee added six. Carlyle picked up a match-high 17 digs and Chioini tallied a team-best three block assists.
 
The Saints return to road action on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. against Concordia.