Grand Rapids, Mich.— Saturday's match served as a reminder that a team can do plenty of things well and still come up short on the scoreboard. Facing one of the top teams in the country, Aquinas battled but ultimately fell to No. 10 Lawrence Tech in straight sets (25-18, 25-15, 25-14). Despite the loss, Coach Michael Crane's squad continues to make strides as they navigate a challenging conference schedule.

Lawrence Tech 3, Aquinas 0 (18-25, 15-25, 14-25)

The Saints opened the match with solid energy, keeping pace with Lawrence Tech early in the first set. However, unforced errors and the Blue Devils' efficient attack allowed the visitors to pull away late and take the opener 25-18.

Aquinas struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the second set, as Lawrence Tech capitalized on a strong serving game to disrupt the Saints' passing. The Saints mustered only four kills in the frame, and the Blue Devils extended their lead with a convincing 25-15 win.

In the final set, Aquinas showed flashes of fight but couldn't slow down a well-balanced Lawrence Tech attack. The Blue Devils hit .381 in the frame, closing out the match with a 25-14 victory. Jonathan Collins led the Saints with five kills, while Julian Fira and Alexander Rodriguez chipped in with two each.

Despite the result, Aquinas remains focused on growth, as they look to bounce back in their upcoming conference matchups. With key players gaining experience, the Saints aim to build on their progress as the season continues.

Inside the Numbers:

·         Lawrence Tech hit an efficient .419 for the match, compared to Aquinas' .016 hitting percentage.

·         Jonathan Collins led the Saints' offense with five kills and a .250 hitting percentage.

·         Aquinas struggled in serve-receive, recording 10 service reception errors to Lawrence Tech's five.

·         The Blue Devils' defense held the Saints to just 18 total kills, limiting AQ to single-digit kill totals in each set.

Coaches' Comments:
Head Coach Michael Crane reflected on the team's performance: "We did not give anywhere close to the effort we showed last night. Our serve/receive was awful, and we weren't very crisp offensively because our serve wasn't great. We had a hard time getting anything going on offense. It's tough coming off a big win against a team receiving votes, only to turn around and face a top-10 team. I think our guys saw on paper that we weren't supposed to win and played like it. Last night, we didn't even realize Oakland City was receiving votes, and we played fantastic volleyball. It's always difficult to maintain the same intensity on a short turnaround. We'll rest a few banged-up guys and hopefully come out stronger next weekend."

Up Next:
The Saints will hit the road next weekend for two key conference matchups. Aquinas will face Indiana Tech on Friday at 7:00 PM before taking on Mount Vernon Nazarene on Saturday at 3:00 PM. For more information, visit AQSaints.com for the latest updates on Aquinas Athletics.