FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Down two sets on the road against a strong Indiana Tech squad, the Aquinas men's volleyball team seemed destined for defeat. But Coach Michael Crane's squad had other plans. With grit, resilience, and some of their best defensive play of the season, the Saints stormed back to stun the Warriors in a dramatic five-set thriller, earning their most impressive win of the year.

Aquinas 3, Indiana Tech 2 (21-25, 23-25, 26-24, 25-21, 15-11)

The Saints delivered a gutsy performance Friday night at the Schaefer Center, overcoming a two-set deficit to secure a crucial conference win. With the victory, Aquinas improves to 7-15 (2-9 WHAC), while Indiana Tech falls to 10-10 (9-3 WHAC).

Indiana Tech controlled the early stages of the match, using efficient attacking and steady defensive play to claim the first two sets. The Warriors posted a scorching .462 hitting percentage in the second frame while holding Aquinas to a .429 mark. Despite a strong effort from the Saints, Indiana Tech edged out a 25-23 win in set two, taking a commanding 2-0 lead.

Facing elimination, Aquinas found another gear in the third set, led by a dominant performance from Connor Staats. The senior outside hitter finished with a match-high 20 kills and 11 digs. With the Saints trailing 24-23 and facing match point, Zachary Nosky delivered a clutch kill to even the score. An Indiana Tech attack error followed, and Kapelie Moala sealed the set with a powerful swing off the block, keeping Aquinas alive with a 26-24 win.

The momentum carried into the fourth set as the Saints capitalized on key Indiana Tech errors while spreading the offensive attack. Andrew Jones and Alexander Rodriguez combined for 11 kills, while setter Julian Fira dished out 27 assists. Aquinas continued to apply pressure, taking the set 25-21 to force a decisive fifth frame.

With the match on the line, the Saints played their most efficient volleyball of the night, hitting a blistering .600 in the final set. Staats and Moala delivered timely kills, while the Saints' defense held firm down the stretch. Callahan Schwartz and Colin Ilagan anchored the back row, with Ilagan tallying a team-high 12 digs. Aquinas controlled the tempo late and sealed the comeback with a 15-11 victory, completing one of their most inspiring performances of the season.

Inside the Numbers:

• Connor Staats: 20 kills, 2 aces, 11 digs, 2 blocks, 23.5 points
• Zachary Nosky: 10 kills, 2 digs, 3 blocks, 11.5 points
• Kapelie Moala: 11 kills, 11.5 points
• Serving Battle: AQ – 9 aces, 10 service errors | Indiana Tech – 9 aces, 17 service errors

Coach's Comments:

Head Coach Michael Crane on his team's remarkable comeback:
"Tonight, we played some of the most inspiring volleyball I've seen from this group. We were locked in on defense and had our best serving game of the year. Unfortunately, we struggled to block through the first three sets, but we came alive in sets four and five. Statistically, we outpaced the Warriors in every category except blocking."

Up Next:

The Saints won't have much time to celebrate as they head straight to Mount Vernon, Ohio, for a Saturday afternoon match-up against Mount Vernon Nazarene at 3:00 PM. Full recaps, stats, and updates will be available at AQSaints.com.