Grand Rapids, Mich. – Opportunity knocks early in conference play, and for Aquinas, the first home WHAC match of the season presented a chance for depth players to make a statement. With Rochester Christian dealing with injuries and a shortened bench, Head Coach Michael Crane challenged his non-starters to raise the level and seize their moment. Some answered that call immediately, others learned where improvement is needed, but the Saints as a whole delivered a complete performance in a straight-set sweep.

Aquinas 3, Rochester Christian 0
(25-15, 25-21, 25-14)

Aquinas set the tone from the opening serve, controlling the tempo in the first set behind balanced offense and aggressive serving. Connor Staats led the attack with eight kills, while Andrew Jones was highly efficient, recording four kills on nine attempts without an error. Brock Hoffman provided a spark at the net, finishing with three kills and a team-high five block assists, helping AQ pull away late in multiple sets.

The Saints continued to rotate personnel throughout the match, with Jayden Sturdevant, Jonathan Collins, Braylon Amos, Garrett Anderson, Andrew Sliwinski, Alexander Rodriguez, and Joseph Hodgson all contributing points. At the service line, Aquinas applied consistent pressure, tallying nine service aces, including four from Jones and two from Hoffman. Defensively, Gage Dinges and Dominic Nelson anchored the back row, each finishing with four digs, while Ryden Luedtke facilitated the offense with a match-high 12 assists.

Set two proved to be the most competitive, as Rochester Christian pushed early, but Aquinas remained composed, using timely blocks and extended rallies to regain control. The Saints closed the door in the third set, hitting .280 as a team and limiting the Warriors to just five kills in the frame. By the final point, nearly every Saint on the roster had an opportunity to contribute, exactly the kind of response Crane was looking for.

Inside the Numbers

     • Aquinas recorded 35 kills compared to Rochester Christian's 23
     • The Saints finished with nine service aces and 19 total blocks
     • AQ held RCU to a -.011 hitting percentage
     • Andrew Jones led all players with eight points
     • Aquinas improved to 1-0 in WHAC play

Coach's Comments

"Conference matches don't give you many free opportunities, so when your number is called, you have to be ready," said Head Coach Michael Crane. "We had some guys really take advantage of that tonight, and others learned what the standard is. The key for us is keeping that level of effort and consistency every day, whether it's a start, a sub, or practice reps."

Up Next

Aquinas will remain home as the Saints welcome Lawrence Tech to Coach Bo Court inside the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center on Friday night. The Blue Devils are a perennial WHAC contender, making this early-season conference matchup a critical test for AQ. First serve is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., with live coverage on the AQSaints Athletic Network. Joey Sutherlin will have the call.

For complete coverage of Aquinas Athletics, including stories, stats, recaps, and the latest team information, visit AQSaints.com.