Fort Wayne, Ind. – Coach Ryan Campbell made a conscious effort to raise the level of competition before the start of WHAC play, and the Onset Invitational gives Aquinas all the excitement it can handle—along with an opportunity for both the returners and newcomers to see some of the best competition the NAIA has to offer.
Four matches over two days, with half coming against nationally ranked opponents. The Saints and their coaching staff hope this is part of the formula for (A) repeating as WHAC champions, (B) returning to the NAIA National Championship Tournament and (C) advancing to the Sweet 16 and beyond.
But that is putting the cart before the horse.
First things first. Let's see how No. 17 Aquinas handled opening day of road trip number one of 2026.
Match One: No. 17 Aquinas 3, Grace 0 (25-16, 26-24, 31-29)
The final score says sweep, but Aquinas' opening match at the Onset Invitational became anything but routine once the Saints moved beyond a convincing opening set.
AQ controlled the first from the start, holding Grace to seven kills and forcing nine errors as the Lancers hit -.061 in a 25-16 Saints victory. The challenge Campbell was looking for arrived quickly after that, as the next two sets required extra points before Aquinas could put Grace away.
The Saints' offense found another gear in the second, pounding out 18 kills with just four errors on 40 attempts for a .350 hitting percentage. Grace stayed with AQ throughout the set, however, producing seven ties before the Saints finally secured the 26-24 victory and a 2-0 match advantage.
Then came the marathon.
The third set featured 15 ties and five lead changes, with neither side willing to surrender the final point needed to end the afternoon. Grace produced its best offensive set of the match with 18 kills, but Aquinas answered with 15 of its own and repeatedly found a way to extend the set when the pressure was at its highest. The Saints finally broke through for the 31-29 win, completing the straight-set sweep while getting the kind of late-set pressure test that does not always show up in a 3-0 final score.
Cece Pelak and Nevaeh Bakker led a balanced AQ attack with 12 kills apiece, with Bakker hitting .333 and adding two solo blocks and a block assist. Pelak delivered from all over the floor, adding four service aces and 12 digs to her 12 kills for a match-high 16 points.
Jayla Martin added eight kills and three block assists, while Natalie West directed the offense with 31 assists to go with four kills. Kate Schneider contributed three kills and three block assists, while freshman Kaylyn Tuck added three kills on eight swings without an attacking error and chipped in a block assist.
Kami Morse supplied 10 digs, four assists and two aces, Brooke Price collected five digs, and Olivia Dennis made the most of her opportunity with two service aces and two digs.
By the time the final ball hit the floor, Aquinas had collected 42 kills, eight service aces and 10 block assists while holding Grace to a .140 hitting percentage. More importantly, the Saints had been pushed into overtime in consecutive sets and responded both times—exactly the type of early-season test this trip was designed to provide.
Match Two: No. 20 Midland 3, No. 17 Aquinas 0 (25-21, 36-34, 25-13)
The second nationally ranked opponent on Friday's schedule provided a different type of early-season test, as No. 20 Midland handed No. 17 Aquinas its first loss of the season in straight sets.
The Warriors established themselves early, recording 17 kills and hitting .262 while taking the opening set, 25-21. Aquinas remained within striking distance throughout a frame that included eight ties and five lead changes, but Midland produced the finishing push needed to move in front.
Midland's serving pressure also began to take its toll, contributing to a match in which the Warriors finished with 14 service aces.
The Saints responded with their best offensive performance of the match in the second set, putting down 18 kills with only five errors and hitting .277. That production helped create the longest and most competitive set of the day, with the teams battling through 17 ties and four lead changes.
Neither side could create lasting separation as the set extended well beyond the traditional finish line. Aquinas continued answering Midland deep into extra points, but the Warriors eventually emerged with a 36-34 victory and a commanding two-set advantage.
Pelak led the Saints with 11 kills and added nine digs and two block assists. Martin turned in AQ's most efficient attacking performance, recording seven kills with only one error on 13 attempts for a .462 hitting percentage while adding three block assists.
Tuck finished with seven kills, three digs and a block assist, while Bakker added seven kills, hit .250 and contributed three block assists. West handed out 21 assists, collected seven digs and added two kills, a service ace and two block assists during her two sets of action.
Morse contributed nine digs and two aces, while Sophie Munch added five digs, two assists and two service aces. Price collected five digs, and Alexa Eden added three more as Campbell continued to use his bench against a nationally ranked opponent.
Midland seized control early in the third set and closed the match with a 25-13 victory, holding Aquinas to eight kills and a .031 hitting percentage in the frame. The Warriors finished the match hitting .265 with 44 kills, while the Saints totaled 36 kills and hit .161.
Despite the loss, Aquinas competed through 26 ties and nine lead changes and gained another valuable early-season look at the level of play it expects to encounter throughout the year. The Saints ended Friday with a split and will enter the tournament's second day with a 3-1 overall record.
Saints Snapshots
- Overtime Was the Theme: Three of Aquinas' six sets Friday required extra points, including victories of 26-24 and 31-29 against Grace and a marathon 36-34 setback against Midland.
- Pelak Powers the Attack: Cece Pelak combined for 23 kills, 21 digs and four service aces across Friday's two matches.
- Bakker Brings Balance: Nevaeh Bakker totaled 19 kills while contributing at the net in both contests.
- West Runs the Show: Natalie West handed out 52 assists over the two matches, including 31 against Grace and 21 against Midland.
- A Split Against a Strong Field: The Saints swept Grace before falling to No. 20 Midland, finishing the opening day of the Onset Invitational with a 3-1 season record.
Coach's Comments
Following the first two matches of the tournament, Head Coach Ryan Campbell reflected on what he saw from the Saints on Friday:
"We saw some areas where we need to improve, and that is one of the reasons we wanted to come here and face this level of competition early in the season. At the same time, the talent is there, and I expect this group to continue getting better as we gain experience together. We played several marathon sets today, and I was pleased with how our conditioning allowed us to keep competing through those long stretches."
Up Next
After a short nap, AQ will be back on the court Saturday for day two of the Onset Invitational. The Saints will play Huntington at 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning before taking on Loyola just after noon.
Fans can visit AQSaints.com for live statistics, streaming links and complete postgame coverage of Aquinas women's volleyball and all Saints athletics, including the home openers for women's and men's soccer.
