Grand Rapids, Mich. - The next chapter of Aquinas women's volleyball began Wednesday on Coach Bo Court, and the opening lines carried a familiar message: this group is prepared to earn what comes next together. No. 17 Aquinas turned months of anticipation into two convincing victories, sweeping both Wilberforce and St. Francis to begin the 2026 season with a 2-0 record.
Aquinas 3, Wilberforce 0 | Aquinas 3, St. Francis 0
Two matches. Two victories. Six sets played—and six sets won.
After back-to-back appearances in the NAIA National Tournament, consecutive undefeated WHAC championship seasons and 44 straight conference victories, Aquinas entered the year carrying both national recognition and championship expectations. The Saints looked comfortable with both Wednesday, combining experienced leadership with immediate contributions from several newcomers during the season-opening tri-match.
Match One: Aquinas 3, Wilberforce 0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-15)
Aquinas opened the season in convincing fashion Wednesday afternoon, sweeping Wilberforce in straight sets. The Saints controlled the match offensively, totaling 46 kills while hitting .318 as a team and limiting the Bulldogs to 13 kills and a .000 attack percentage.
Freshman Kaylyn Tuck made an immediate impact in her collegiate debut, leading Aquinas with 15 kills on 28 attempts while hitting .357. She also added four digs and a service ace to a memorable opening performance.
Soniah Robinson and Savannah Byker provided efficient offensive performances with seven kills apiece. Robinson hit .500, while Byker posted a team-best .545 percentage among Saints with at least 10 attempts.
Olivia Dennis also recorded seven kills and added eight digs, while Tess Griffith chipped in four kills. Senior Audrey Gil was nearly flawless offensively, putting down three kills on five swings without an error for a .600 hitting percentage while adding two service aces.
Running the Aquinas offense, Kyla Charles handed out 39 assists while adding four service aces, two kills and two digs. The Saints were dangerous from the service line throughout the match, finishing with 12 aces.
Briley Andres, Sarah Curtis and Gil recorded two aces apiece, while Tuck and Katelyn Orlowski added one each. Curtis and Dennis shared the team lead with eight digs, Andres added five, and Tuck and Orlowski collected four apiece.
Aquinas hit .323 with 16 kills in the opening set before producing its most efficient offensive performance of the match in the second, hitting .478 with 14 kills and only three errors. The Saints closed the sweep with another 16 kills in the third set, pulling away for the 25-15 victory.
Match Two: Aquinas 3, St. Francis 0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-13)
Aquinas returned to Coach Bo Court Wednesday night and completed its perfect opening day with a sweep of St. Francis.
The Saints recorded 43 kills and hit .330 as a team while holding the Fighting Saints to 27 kills and a .077 attack percentage.
Cece Pelak led the Aquinas offense with 14 kills and committed only three errors across 25 attempts for a .440 hitting percentage. Pelak also added five digs and a block assist in a strong all-around performance.
Kate Schneider delivered eight kills with only one error, hitting .467 while contributing three digs and a block assist. Nevaeh Bakker finished with six kills, hit .357 and helped control the net with a match-high eight block assists.
Jayla Martin added five kills on 10 attempts for a .400 hitting percentage and recorded the Saints' lone solo block. Tuck made the most of her appearance, collecting four kills on six swings and adding two block assists.
Natalie West directed the offense with 36 assists while adding two kills, two service aces, four digs and four block assists. Her setting helped Aquinas produce 41 assists on its 43 kills.
The Saints also received three kills from Michelle Ramirez, while Kami Morse contributed six digs, two assists and a kill. Sophie Munch and Pelak collected five digs apiece, with Gil adding three.
Aquinas recorded six service aces from five different Saints. West led the way with two, while Orlowski, Brooke Price, Munch and Gil added one apiece to keep St. Francis under pressure from the service line.
The Saints set the tone offensively by hitting .389 with 18 kills and only four errors in the opening set. St. Francis remained within striking distance, but Aquinas made the necessary plays to claim the first two sets by identical 25-21 scores.
With the opportunity to complete a perfect day, AQ delivered its best closing stretch of the night.
The Saints erupted for 17 kills with only two errors in the third set, hitting .517 while holding St. Francis to eight kills. Aquinas pulled away decisively for a 25-13 victory, sealing its second sweep and completing a 6-0 day in sets played.
Saints Snapshots
- The Next Chapter Has Its Opening Line: After an offseason spent talking about embracing expectations and earning what comes next, the Saints opened 2026 with two sweeps and a performance that matched the confidence surrounding the program.
- Two Lineups. One Aquinas Identity: AQ relied on different combinations throughout the day, but the result remained the same—balanced offense, pressure from the service line and contributions from across a deep roster.
- Super Sophomore Picks Up Where She Left Off: West stepped right back into command of the Aquinas offense against St. Francis, handing out a match-high 36 assists—an impressive average of 12 per set—as the Saints hit .330 in the sweep.
- Tuck Wastes No Time: The freshman did not ease into the college game. Tuck led the Saints with 15 kills in her debut and returned later that night to deliver four more during the sweep of St. Francis.
- A Closing Statement: AQ did more than finish the second sweep—it accelerated through the finish line. The Saints overwhelmed St. Francis in the final set, turning a competitive match into a decisive conclusion to opening day.
- The Standard Travels Next: A perfect afternoon on Coach Bo Court provides momentum, but the upcoming Onset Invitational—and two nationally ranked opponents—will quickly reveal how prepared the Saints are to carry their identity beyond Grand Rapids.
Coach's Comments
After the opening day of competition, Head Coach Ryan Campbell spoke about his team's performance and the expectations surrounding the Saints:
"There was a lot to like about the way we competed today, but what stood out most was how many different people contributed and embraced their opportunities. We know two wins in August do not define our season, but they give us a strong starting point and a chance to learn more about who we can become. This group understands that expectations are earned through the work we put in every day, and now our focus shifts to continuing to grow together against another challenging field this weekend."
Up Next
The Saints will have little time to celebrate their two opening-day victories.
Aquinas heads to Indiana this weekend for the Onset Invitational, where the Saints will play four matches, including two against nationally ranked opponents. The early-season test will provide AQ with another opportunity to learn, grow and measure itself against some of the NAIA's top competition.
Fans can visit AQSaints.com for live statistics, streaming links and complete postgame coverage of Aquinas women's volleyball and all Saints athletics.
Wednesday's matches were streamed on the AQ Saints Network with Joey Sutherlin on the call. Fans can watch the replay by clicking here.
It's a great day to be a Saint.
