Southfield, Mich. — A college conference season is like a rubber band—you pull, and pull, and pull. Eventually, you either snap it forward for something special…or it snaps back. For the Saints, Wednesday night felt like that tension point, as Aquinas battled Lawrence Tech in a match that could help define the direction of the season.

Lawrence Tech 3, Aquinas 1 (21-25, 25-12, 25-19, 25-13)

Aquinas came out swinging in the opening set, showing the type of rhythm and confidence that has flashed throughout the season. The Saints hit .250 in the first frame and controlled the tempo early, with Connor Staats and Alexander Rodriguez leading the offensive charge. Staats finished the night with a team-high nine kills, while Rodriguez was highly efficient, hitting .429 with six kills on 14 swings.

The Saints took the first set 25-21, fueled by strong ball distribution from Ryden Luedtke, who dished out 28 assists on the night, consistently putting Aquinas attackers in position to succeed. Andrew Jones added pressure from the service line with three aces, helping AQ build momentum early.

However, as the match progressed, Lawrence Tech began to assert control. The Blue Devils responded with a dominant second set, flipping the script with a .458 hitting percentage and limiting Aquinas to just six kills. From there, LTU continued to build separation, taking advantage of longer rallies and capitalizing on key scoring runs.

Aquinas continued to compete, with contributions from Jonathan Collins (seven kills), Jayden Sturdevant (five kills, .250 hitting), and Joseph Hodgson adding presence at the net with a pair of block assists. Defensively, the Saints were led by a balanced effort, recording 31 digs as a team, with Staats and Jones each contributing six.

Despite flashes of strong play, the Saints were unable to regain the early momentum, as Lawrence Tech closed out the final two sets to secure the 3-1 victory.

Following the result, Aquinas now sits at 5-16 overall and 2-10 in WHAC play, while Lawrence Tech improves to 13-5 overall and 9-4 in the conference.

Saints Snapshots
     • First Strike: Aquinas took Set 1 with a .250 hitting percentage, their most efficient set of the night.
     • Efficient Edge: Alexander Rodriguez hit .429, the top mark among Saints attackers.
     • Setting the Table: Ryden Luedtke finished with 28 assists, orchestrating the AQ offense.
     • Service Spark: Andrew Jones recorded three service aces to lead Aquinas from the line.

Coach's Comments
Head Coach Michael Crane acknowledged the challenges of the season but remains confident in the group's potential moving forward.

"This season hasn't unfolded the way we envisioned, but I still believe in this group and what they're capable of becoming," Crane said. "We're seeing moments where things click, where the effort and execution are there, and that tells me we're close. Now it's about staying together, continuing to compete, and finding ways to turn those moments into consistent results."

Up Next
Aquinas will return to the friendly confines of the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center for a pair of WHAC contests this weekend. Friday, the Saints will battle Defiance, with a first serve scheduled for 7:00 p.m., with live coverage on the AQSaints Athletic Network. Joey Sutherlin will have the call.

Saturday, the Saints will celebrate the seniors as they challenge the Warriors of Indiana Tech. The match is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. While it will be streamed, there will not be a broadcaster.

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