Box Score Chicago, Ill. – The Aquinas College men's volleyball team traveled to Chicago to face a tough challenge against Concordia, battling through three competitive sets. Despite several strong individual efforts and late pushes in each frame, the Saints were unable to close the gap as the Cougars secured the straight-set victory.
Aquinas 0, Concordia 3
Joseph Hodgson recorded the opening kill for the Saints to even the score at 1-1, and both teams traded points early as the set remained tight. Another kill from Hodgson along with one from Jonathan Collins gave Aquinas a narrow 7-6 advantage. Concordia responded with a surge, putting together a run to take a 12-9 lead. Alexander Rodriguez added a kill for AQ, but the Cougars continued to build momentum and extended their lead to six at 16-10. Connor Staats delivered a late kill, Collins added a block, and Hodgson contributed a few more points down the stretch, but the Saints could not erase the deficit and dropped the opening set 25-17.
The second set started with Concordia jumping out to a quick 9-0 run before a block assist from Brock Hoffman and Braylon Amos finally halted the stretch. Amos, Rodriguez, and Jayden Sturdevant each added kills as Aquinas worked to climb back into the set, trimming the deficit to 11-4. Sturdevant later added another kill, while Staats and Hoffman recorded back-to-back blocks to pull the Saints within five at 13-8. Two more kills from Staats and Rodriguez cut the gap to just three points at 20-17, but the Cougars held off the rally to take the set 25-18.
Concordia opened the third set with a two-point lead before Andrew Sliwinski and Staats responded with back-to-back kills to tie the score at 2-2. The Cougars answered with a three-point run, but Amos ended the stretch with a kill to bring Aquinas within one at 5-4. Concordia extended the margin to 10-5 before Ryden Luedtke stopped the run with a point for AQ. Amos added another kill, and Sliwinski followed with a solo block before Sturdevant delivered a kill to cut the deficit to four at 14-10. Sturdevant and Staats combined for several more points, but Concordia maintained control down the stretch and closed out the set 25-15 to complete the match.
Coaches Comments
"We had some stretches where we played really solid volleyball, but we just couldn't sustain that level long enough tonight," said head coach Michael Crane. "Concordia put pressure on us early in the sets, and that made it tough to recover. We'll get some rest and recover and come back ready to play Friday."
By the Numbers
Up Next
Aquinas returns to the court Friday night to face Trinity Christian College. First serve is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. as the Saints look to bounce back.
