Grand Rapids, Mich. -- Fifty-six consecutive WHAC victories do not happen without answering a few challenges along the way. Different opponents, different lineups, different moments when a match asks a team what it has left. For nearly three years, Aquinas kept finding the answer.
Saturday, Indiana Tech finally had the last word, edging the No. 7 Saints on the final serve of a five-set battle that ended a remarkable run spanning conference regular-season and tournament play. With setter Natalie West unavailable, AQ received a strong performance from Kyla Charles, twice fought back to extend the match and finished two points short of keeping the streak alive. There were lessons to take from the loss, particularly at the service line, but the afternoon still had more to offer: a bounce-back sweep, a career milestone for senior Cece Pelak and a conference championship opportunity that remains firmly in the Saints' hands.
Indiana Tech 3, No. 7 Aquinas 2 (16-25, 25-18, 18-25, 25-16, 13-15)
Match 1 — 2 p.m.
West, a three-time WHAC Setter of the Week and NAIA national weekly award winner, was ruled out for Saturday's matches for medical reasons following Friday's contest. Charles stepped into the setting role and delivered 46 assists, 11 digs and six block assists, helping Aquinas hit .248 against one of the conference's top contenders. Her distribution supported four Saints with double-digit kills, giving AQ a balanced attack despite the change at setter. Replacing West's presence was a substantial assignment, but Charles gave Aquinas the production and composure it needed to compete.
Jayla Martin led the Saints with 16 kills on 26 attempts, hitting .462 and adding four block assists. Nevaeh Bakker paired 11 kills on .429 hitting with 10 block assists, making her influence felt on both sides of the net. Kaylyn Tuck contributed 13 kills against just one attack error on 37 swings, finishing at .324 with seven digs and three block assists. Pelak added a double-double of 13 kills and 15 digs, along with two aces and two block assists.
Kami Morse anchored the backcourt with 26 digs, four assists and two aces, while Sophie Munch supplied eight digs, Brooke Price added five and Alexa Eden collected two. Kate Schneider contributed four kills and four block assists as Aquinas built a 14.5-9 advantage in team blocks. AQ also led in digs, 74-65, and kills, 58-57, while outhitting Indiana Tech .248-.199. The difference at the service line was consequential: Both teams committed 11 service errors, but the Warriors produced 10 aces to the Saints' four.
Indiana Tech's head coach made effective use of his stoppages, with four Warriors timeouts immediately followed by an AQ service error. Coming off a three-set loss to Cornerstone on Friday, Indiana Tech twice moved ahead in the match, but Aquinas answered each time and hit .433 in the fourth set to force a fifth.
The deciding set featured four ties and two lead changes, with AQ turning a 4-2 deficit into a 5-4 advantage behind a Tuck kill and consecutive blocks shared by Charles and Bakker, then Tuck and Bakker. Indiana Tech regained control at 8-6, but a Pelak kill off a Morse assist and two Martin kills from Charles helped keep the Saints close. Aquinas pulled even at 10-10 before the Warriors claimed consecutive points, prompting an AQ timeout. Charles then found Tuck for a kill that cut the deficit to 12-11, keeping the outcome within reach.
Indiana Tech pushed its lead to 14-11 before Pelak converted another Charles assist and a Warriors attack error brought the Saints within 14-13. Following an Indiana Tech timeout, an AQ serve missed, bringing an abrupt finish to a match that had demanded five sets to separate the teams. Aquinas matched the Warriors with eight kills in the fifth, but three service errors in the deciding frame reduced its room for recovery.
The result ended the Saints' 56-match winning streak across WHAC regular-season and tournament competition, their first conference loss since falling to Indiana Tech in the tournament championship Nov. 11, 2023. AQ's advantages in attacking efficiency, digs and blocks showed how much it did well, while the serving numbers identified an area that could make the difference in another close postseason contest. Charles' double-double and work at the net stood among the clearest positives, giving the Saints a strong performance at a position where they had been forced to adjust.
No. 7 Aquinas 3, Alverno 0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-15)
Match 2 — 5 p.m.
The Saints had little time to let the sting settle before returning to the court against Alverno. Their response was a sweep that showcased the roster's depth and gave Charles another productive match directing the offense. Aquinas finished with 40 kills on .280 hitting while limiting Alverno to 26 kills and a .055 mark. The Saints also held a 9.5-2 advantage in team blocks and recorded 10 aces to Alverno's five.
Charles distributed 36 assists and added two kills, two aces, four digs and a block assist. Her Saturday totals reached 82 assists across eight sets, connecting with a broad group of hitters over two very different matches. Audrey Gil led AQ against Alverno with 12 kills, three aces and six digs, producing a team-high 15 points. Pelak delivered 10 kills on 17 swings in her only set, hitting .471 with five digs and an ace while surpassing 1,000 career kills.
Savannah Byker finished with five kills on nine error-free attempts, hitting .556 and adding a solo block and two block assists. Tess Griffith supplied five kills on .444 hitting and five block assists, while Jeanette Desser led the Saints with six block assists. Katelyn Orlowski collected seven digs, an assist and an ace, and Sarah Curtis contributed five digs, two aces and a kill on her only attack. Price added five digs, an ace and an assist, while Eden supplied four digs and an assist.
Soniah Robinson recorded two kills, two digs and two block assists, and Olivia Dennis converted two of her four attacks without an error. Michelle Ramirez contributed a kill and a block assist, while Briley Andres added two digs. After securing the opening set in extra points, Aquinas took the remaining sets by eight and 10 points. The Saints saved their most efficient offensive frame for the finish, recording 15 kills against three errors to hit .375 in the third.
Eleven service errors left room for improvement, even as AQ generated six more aces than it had against Indiana Tech. Contributions throughout the lineup helped the Saints close Saturday with a victory and valuable work from players ready to answer when called.
Aquinas finished the day 32-2 overall and 12-1 in the WHAC, while Indiana Tech concluded its conference match 22-7 overall and 11-2 in league play. Alverno finished its match against AQ 7-18 overall.
With three conference matches remaining for each of the top three teams, the Saints hold a one-match lead over Cornerstone and Indiana Tech, both 11-2. Three victories would secure the outright WHAC regular-season championship for Aquinas. Saturday tightened the race, but the Saints still control their path to the crown.
Pelak Powers Past 1,000 Career Kills
The opening set against Alverno brought a moment with significance well beyond Saturday's scoreboard: Pelak surpassed 1,000 career kills.
The senior reached the milestone during a 10-kill performance in the first set, helping Aquinas claim a 27-25 victory and begin its bounce-back sweep. After contributing a double-double in the five-set opener, Pelak finished the afternoon with 23 kills — and a career achievement worthy of its own place in the day's story.
Saints Snapshots
- Charles answered the call. With West unavailable, Charles totaled 82 assists, 15 digs and seven block assists across eight sets, including a 46-assist, 11-dig double-double against Indiana Tech.
- The middle delivered. Martin and Bakker combined for 27 kills on .447 hitting against the Warriors, with Bakker adding 10 block assists as AQ controlled much of the work at the net.
- Tuck made her swings count. Tuck recorded 13 kills against just one attack error on 37 attempts against Indiana Tech, pairing her .324 hitting percentage with seven digs and three block assists.
- A milestone and a response. Pelak surpassed 1,000 career kills in the opening set against Alverno, while Gil's 12 kills led a sweep featuring contributions throughout the AQ lineup.
- The championship path remains. At 12-1 in conference play, Aquinas carries a one-match lead into its final three WHAC contests, with the opportunity to secure the outright regular-season title.
Coach's Comments
Head coach Ryan Campbell has emphasized perspective throughout the season: Do not get too high after a victory or too low after a loss. Saturday called for the same approach — review, reflect, reset and move forward.
"This one stings, and it should, because our players care about this program and what they have built together. But we cannot let one result carry into our next opportunity. Natalie being unavailable cannot and will not be an excuse. Kyla stepped in and did a very good job, and we have to prepare our entire roster to respond whenever any player is unavailable.
"Indiana Tech is a very good team and played a great match, and we had opportunities to be better, particularly from the service line. We need to serve with purpose and trust our preparation in those moments. I'm proud of the fight our team showed and the way we came back to win the second match. Our goal is still to make a long postseason run, and today does not change that. It gives us things to learn from and work on as we move forward."
Up Next
The Saints turn their attention to the final stretch of the regular season and the work still ahead in the WHAC championship race.
Aquinas travels to Rochester Hills for a 7 p.m. WHAC matchup Wednesday, Oct. 28, against Rochester Christian. The Saints then return home Friday, Oct. 30, for Senior Night against Lawrence Tech, with first serve scheduled for 7 p.m. The home match will be streamed on the AQSaints Athletic Network.
Be sure to visit AQSaints.com for live statistics, streaming links and complete postgame coverage of Aquinas women's volleyball and all other Saints sports.
It's a great day to be a Saint.
