Grand Rapids, Mich. -- A championship opportunity, a returning setter and a longtime rival just up the street gave Friday night at Coach Bo Court all the ingredients for a memorable regular-season finale. For No. 11 Aquinas, a victory would secure a third consecutive outright WHAC championship, while a loss would leave the Saints sharing the crown and awaiting the tournament tiebreaker. Natalie West's return after two weeks away added another reason for optimism as the Maroon and White welcomed No. 22 Cornerstone. Unfortunately, the celebration AQ had envisioned never materialized, as the Saints struggled to find their rhythm in a three-set setback.
No. 22 Cornerstone 3, No. 11 Aquinas 0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-19)
Aquinas found some early footing in the opening set, with a combined block from Jayla Martin and Cece Pelak helping the Saints build a 4-2 advantage. A Kate Schneider kill kept AQ ahead 6-4, but Cornerstone answered with a 7-1 surge to take control. Nevaeh Bakker supplied three first-set kills, Martin added two and Alexa Eden delivered a late ace, but the Saints could not erase the deficit.
The second set opened with renewed energy as West assisted Schneider twice and Pelak once for a quick 3-0 lead. Schneider put away six kills in the frame, but the Saints' early advantage disappeared as Cornerstone moved ahead 11-7 and eventually stretched the margin to 18-10. A late push featured a Bakker kill, a West solo block and another Pelak finish during Sophie Munch's service turn, bringing AQ within 22-18 before the visitors closed the set with three consecutive points.
Aquinas continued searching for an answer in the third, receiving an early kill from Kaylyn Tuck and consecutive Pelak finishes during Eden's service turn to pull even at 8-8. With Kyla Charles directing the offense later in the set, a Martin kill, a Kami Morse ace and a Charles-Schneider block fueled a three-point run that put AQ ahead 13-12. Charles then connected with Bakker for consecutive kills, giving the Saints a 16-15 edge and another opportunity to turn the night around. Cornerstone responded with four straight points, however, and Aquinas could not regain the lead despite late kills from Pelak and Martin. Olivia Dennis, Brooke Price, Michelle Ramirez, Sarah Curtis and Audrey Gil also saw action as the Saints searched for a combination that could sustain a rally.
Pelak finished with a team-high 12 kills, while Schneider and Bakker contributed nine apiece and Martin added five.
Aquinas concluded the regular season at 34-3 overall and 14-2 in the WHAC, while Cornerstone finished 24-5 overall and 14-2 in conference play. Indiana Tech also finished 14-2 in the league, creating a three-way tie atop the final WHAC standings. After WHAC Conference Director of Communications Emma Fickel calculated the conference's tiebreaking formula, Cornerstone received the No. 1 tournament seed, Aquinas secured No. 2 and Indiana Tech landed at No. 3. The result was a difficult finish to the regular season, but it did not erase the work that earned the Saints a third consecutive WHAC championship.
Saints Snapshots
- Pelak leads the attack. Cece Pelak recorded 12 kills, including five in each of the final two sets.
- Schneider supplies a spark. Kate Schneider totaled nine kills, with six coming in the second set, and teamed with Kyla Charles for a third-set block.
- Contributions across the front line. Nevaeh Bakker matched Schneider with nine kills, Jayla Martin added five, Natalie West had two and Kaylyn Tuck contributed one.
- West's return cut short. Playing for the first time in two weeks, Natalie West took an attack to the face and was evaluated by medical personnel before Kyla Charles handled the setting duties the rest of the way; West will be re-evaluated by the athletic training staff early next week.
- Three straight championships. Even with Friday's disappointment, the Saints earned a share of the WHAC regular-season championship for a third consecutive year.
Coach's Comments
After the disappointing match, Coach Ryan Campbell's did not shy away from the truth.
"We did not come close to playing at the level we are capable of tonight, and we have to own that. Some things did not go our way, but there is no excuse for how we responded or for the result. We still believe this team can compete at the highest level, and one difficult night does not erase what these players have accomplished. This was a wake-up call, and now we need to regroup, hold each other accountable and get back to playing the volleyball we know we can play or miss out on a chance at a long run in the nationals."
Up Next
The Saints will look to shake off Friday's disappointment and turn their attention to the postseason, hosting a WHAC Tournament quarterfinal Wednesday, November 11, at Coach Bo Court. Aquinas enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed after earning a share of the regular-season championship.
Wednesday's match will be streamed on the AQSaints Athletic Watch Network, with Joey Sutherlin on the call.
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.
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