Box Score Grand Rapids, Mich. — In a conference showdown at the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center on Tuesday night, the Aquinas men's volleyball team faced off against WHAC rival Siena Heights in a battle of the Saints. Despite an efficient offensive performance and a competitive third set, Aquinas came up short, falling in straight sets.
Siena Heights 3, Aquinas 0 (25-21, 25-21, 26-24)
Aquinas showed flashes of brilliance, particularly in the third set, where they pushed Siena Heights to the brink in a back-and-forth battle that featured 16 tie scores and four lead changes. Connor Staats led the Saints with a team-high 14 kills, while Kapelie Moala added nine kills on a solid .368 hitting percentage. Alexander Rodriguez made an impact with four kills on six attempts, boasting an impressive .667 hitting percentage.
Setter Julian Fira guided the Aquinas offense with 21 assists, while Oniel Alvarez and Andrew Jones anchored the defense with five digs each. Despite hitting a respectable .319 as a team, Aquinas was outpaced by a sharp Siena Heights attack that posted a .437 hitting percentage.
Siena Heights was fueled by a dominant performance from Daniel Rua, who tallied a match-high 18 kills on a .548 hitting percentage. Jonathan Stovring and Dominic Rees also reached double digits in points, helping their squad control the tempo throughout the match.
Despite a resilient performance, the Saints (5-11, 1-6 WHAC) were unable to overcome the efficient attack of the visiting Saints from Siena Heights (7-7, 4-4 WHAC).
By the Numbers
Coach's Take
Head Coach Michael Crane acknowledged the team's offensive success but noted struggles on the defensive end.
"We couldn't get our blocking going, but we hit pretty well—.319 as a team," Crane said. "Every one of our hitters was positive, but we just didn't have the defense we needed to run the offense we wanted. We were overpassing, and with aggressive servers like they have, that becomes a common issue. They've got three very aggressive servers."
Looking ahead, Crane sees an opportunity for growth as the Saints prepare for a rematch against Lourdes, "We talked in the locker room about how we get to play everyone again," he added. "We don't have to have that bad taste in our mouth from not playing our best volleyball—we'll get a second chance."
Up Next
Aquinas will return to action on Friday, March 7, for another WHAC matchup against Lourdes. The first serve is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
