Grand Rapids, Mich.—What a match! By far, the most entertaining and overall team effort in an amazing five-set victory over the Mighty Oaks of Oakland City.

The key moment came in the third set. Trailing 24-22, Oniel Alvarez served the Saints to a 25-24 lead, but back-to-back service errors made it 26-25 AQ. With Jonathan Collins serving, Julian Fira set up the set-winning kill from Kapelie Moala.

It was the kind of night where you see the fruit of effort Coach Michael Crane's crew is showing results.

Aquinas 3, Oakland City 2 (25-23, 20-25, 27-25, 20-25, 15-10)

Set one was a back-and-forth battle with neither team gaining much separation. A late kill by Connor Staats gave AQ a 24-22 lead, and a crucial Oakland City attack error secured the set 25-23 for the Saints.

Oakland City responded strongly in the second set, using a balanced attack to keep AQ on its heels. The Mighty Oaks pulled away late, taking the set 25-20.

Connor Staats was a difference maker tonight with 25 kills but equally important was his 13 digs for the Saints.

The third set was an instant classic. AQ faced set point at 24-22 before Oniel Alvarez sparked a rally with strong serving. Kapelie Moala sealed the deal off a pinpoint set from Julian Fira, giving the Saints a thrilling 27-25 victory.

Oakland City wasn't finished, controlling the fourth set from the start. Despite a few late pushes from AQ, the Mighty Oaks forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-20 win.

Final Set

In the final set, trailing 4-2, Oniel Alvarez came in and served four straight AQ points, and the team was able to coast from there. After a Connor Staats kill made it match point, an Oakland City service error sealed the victory for the Saints and sent the AQ faithful home happy.

The Saints improve to 6-14 overall but really look like a team that is getting better every game. According to Coach Crane, the term is called "embrace the suck," meaning you make a mistake, forget it, and move on. Aquinas took full advantage of that in the victory.

Inside the Numbers

• Connor Staats dominated with a match-high 25 kills and added 13 digs.

• Kapelie Moala was a force at the net with 16 kills and two blocks.

• Julian Fira dished out 30 assists, setting up the AQ offense all night.

• The Saints' defense stepped up with 52 total digs, limiting Oakland City's attack.

Coaches Comments:

It was a great night, and Coach Michael Crane had plenty of positives to talk about. "We had a come-to-Jesus moment at the Cornerstone game. We've always been pushing 5% better, 5% better, and it just wasn't working, so we thought of a new way to word it, and it worked (see above). We have been able to play good volleyball at times, but we haven't been able to maintain it for multiple days. So we gotta do it again tomorrow against the number five team in the country, Lawrence Tech."

Up Next

The Saints will take a quick snooze before returning to the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center. Lawrence Tech comes to town for a 3:00 PM match on Saturday. For more information, check out the AQSaints.com website for all your Aquinas Athletics.