Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Aquinas College men's volleyball team fought through a tightly contested match to secure a five-set victory over Mount Vernon, displaying resilience and composure throughout the back-and-forth battle. The Saints controlled the tempo early, taking command of the first two sets, but a sluggish third set shifted momentum in favor of the Cougars. Mount Vernon edged out a narrow win in the fourth to force a fifth set, where Aquinas regrouped and closed out the match in a thrilling finish.
Aquinas 3, Mount Vernon 0
Alexander Rodriguez opened the match with a kill to give the Saints a 1-0 lead, but MVU answered with two quick kills. Jonathan Collins responded with back-to-back kills to even the score at 3-3. The teams traded points early on before a block from Joseph Hodgson and a kill from Connor Staats helped Aquinas edge ahead 6-5. The Cougars then used a three-point run to take an 8-6 lead. Aquinas continued to battle, and another block from Hodgson pushed the Saints in front 15-12. Jayden Sturdevant followed with consecutive service aces to extend the lead to 18-14. A block by Ryden Luedtke and Rodriguez made it 20-15, and Sturdevant closed out the set with a block for a 25-18 win.
Rodriguez once again started the second set with the opening kill, and Staats added two service aces to give Aquinas a 4-1 advantage. Mount Vernon responded with a four-point run to take a 5-4 lead. The teams continued to exchange points, but another Cougar run made it 13-11. Gage Dinges came off the bench and delivered a service ace to tie the set at 15-15. Aquinas then surged with a six-point run to build a 24-17 lead, and an MVU attack error sealed the set, 25-18.
The Cougars took control early in the third set, jumping out to a 5-1 lead before a Sturdevant kill stopped the run. Mount Vernon maintained momentum and extended its lead to 12-6. Despite two kills from Staats, the Saints struggled to recover and trailed 19-8. A block from Sturdevant and Rodriguez provided a brief spark, but Aquinas ultimately dropped the set 25-10.
In the fourth set, Braylon Amos checked in and recorded his first kill of the match to provide energy. Kills from Sturdevant and Amos helped Aquinas take a 4-3 lead, but the Cougars answered to go up 6-4. Garrett Anderson and Brock Hoffman contributed a key block to keep the Saints ahead 7-6. A four-point run, highlighted by back-to-back aces from Sturdevant, brought Aquinas even at 11-11. Luedtke added another ace, and kills from Rodriguez and Amos pushed the Saints to a 19-15 lead. However, MVU responded with a late run to claim the set 25-21.
The fifth set remained tight throughout, with neither team able to create separation early. A kill from Sturdevant gave Aquinas a 3-2 edge, but Mount Vernon answered to take a 5-4 lead. Staats delivered two kills to put the Saints back in front 6-5 before the Cougars went on a three-point run to lead 8-6. After switching sides Aquinas responded with four straight kills to take a 10-8 advantage. With the score tied at 11-11, Collins recorded a key kill, and Sturdevant followed with another to give Aquinas a 13-12 lead. Sturdevant then delivered the final kill of the match, securing the five-set victory for the Saints.
Coaches Comments
"I'm really proud of the way our guys battled tonight," said head coach Michael Crane. "We came out strong in the first two sets and showed what we're capable of when we're playing our style of volleyball. The third set was a setback, but the group didn't let it define the match. Even after dropping the fourth, they stayed composed and trusted each other. That fifth set showed a lot of grit and maturity, especially in those final points. It was a total team effort, and it's a great win for us moving forward."
By the Numbers
Up Next
The Saints will take this momentum with them into tomorrow's contest against the Lourdes Gray Wolves and 2:00 p.m. in the Sturrus Sports and Fitness Center.
