Kokomo, Ind. – No. 17 Aquinas entered the IU Kokomo Tournament knowing that every serve, swing and pressure-filled point provides another opportunity to become the team it wants to be when the WHAC season arrives. Friday's opening two matches offered the Saints another chance to strengthen their chemistry, test their depth and continue turning early-season lessons into lasting growth. AQ made the most of that opportunity, sweeping Saint Xavier and Marian without dropping a set to begin the two-day tournament.
Match One: No. 17 Aquinas 3, Saint Xavier 0 (25-13, 25-12, 25-19)
Aquinas established control immediately against Saint Xavier, never trailing in the opening set on its way to a convincing 25-13 victory. The Saints remained firmly in command during the second, overcoming five early ties before pulling away for a 25-12 decision. AQ completed the sweep with another wire-to-wire performance in the third set, finishing off the Cougars 25-19.
The Saints attacked at a .207 clip while limiting Saint Xavier to a .000 hitting percentage with 18 kills and 18 errors. Kaylyn Tuck delivered one of the most efficient performances of the afternoon, putting down seven kills without an error on 10 attempts for a .700 hitting percentage. Jayla Martin paced the Aquinas attack with 10 kills, hit .438 and assisted on four blocks. Cece Pelak added eight kills, five digs, two block assists and a match-high four service aces.
Kyla Charles directed the offense for two sets and finished with 17 assists, eight digs and three aces. Natalie West stepped into the setter role during the final set and recorded six assists, two kills and two aces. Kami Morse anchored the back row with a match-high 17 digs while adding two more aces. Olivia Dennis also served two aces, while Audrey Gil contributed two kills and an ace.
Nevaeh Bakker and Kate Schneider each recorded a solo block as Aquinas consistently disrupted the Saint Xavier attack at the net. Michelle Ramirez added three digs and a block assist, while Brooke Price contributed six digs and four assists. In total, the Saints served 14 aces and held the Cougars to a negative hitting percentage in each of the final two sets to secure their third consecutive victory.
Match Two: No. 17 Aquinas 3, Marian 0 (25-16, 28-26, 25-22)
Aquinas carried that momentum into Friday's second match, combining an efficient attack with a dominant presence at the net to defeat Marian in straight sets. The Saints hit .321 in the opening set while holding the Knights to a .000 attacking percentage, creating the separation needed for a 25-16 victory. Marian provided a much stronger challenge in the second set, which featured nine ties and five lead changes.
With neither team able to create lasting separation, Aquinas stayed composed through an extended finish and claimed the pivotal set 28-26. The third set was nearly as competitive, producing eight ties and six lead changes before the Saints closed out the sweep with a 25-22 decision. AQ finished the match with 43 kills and only seven attacking errors, producing a .288 hitting percentage while holding Marian to .134.
Pelak led the Saints with 12 kills and added nine digs, an ace and 13 total points. Bakker was nearly unstoppable in the middle, finishing with 10 kills and no errors on 23 attempts for a .435 hitting percentage while assisting on five blocks. Martin delivered another exceptional performance with nine kills and no errors on 11 swings, good for a match-best .818 hitting percentage. She also recorded one solo block and four block assists.
West filled the stat sheet with 32 assists, five kills, seven digs, an ace, two solo blocks and four block assists. Morse again controlled the back row with a match-high 19 digs while serving three aces and adding two assists. Sophie Munch provided a match-high four aces, while Dennis added two more as the Saints totaled 11 from the service line.
Tuck contributed four kills, four digs and two block assists, while Schneider finished with three kills, a solo block and two block assists. Price reached double figures with 10 digs and added a block assist as Aquinas completed a Friday sweep without dropping a set.
The two victories improved No. 17 Aquinas to 7-1 overall heading into the final day of the IU Kokomo Tournament.
Saints Snapshots
- Double Sweep: Aquinas won all six sets Friday, defeating Saint Xavier and Marian in straight sets.
- Serving Up Trouble: The Saints recorded 25 service aces across the two matches, including 14 against Saint Xavier.
- Middle Mastery: Martin totaled 19 kills and committed only three errors, including a .818 hitting performance against Marian.
- Defensive Difference: AQ held Saint Xavier to a .000 hitting percentage before limiting Marian to .134.
- Back-Row Anchor: Morse collected 36 digs across the two victories, averaging six digs per set.
Coach's Comments
After the first two matches of the IU Kokomo Tournament, Head Coach Ryan Campbell had this to say:
"I was pleased with the way we competed from start to finish today and how several different players stepped up and contributed. Our serving created a lot of pressure, our blocking was strong and we showed good composure when Marian pushed us in those tight second and third sets. We still have areas where we need to be cleaner, especially with our consistency and taking care of the ball during longer rallies, but that is why these early-season tournaments are so valuable. We are excited about another opportunity to improve tomorrow, and facing the host team in No. 13 IU Kokomo will be a great test for us."
Up Next
Two matches down and two to go for AQ women's volleyball at the IU Kokomo Tournament. The Saints will conclude the weekend Saturday with a highly anticipated matchup against host and No. 13 IU Kokomo at 4:15 p.m.—a battle certain to draw attention throughout the NAIA. Before that ranked showdown, Aquinas will challenge Rio Grande at 2 p.m.
Be sure to visit AQSaints.com for live statistics, streaming links and complete postgame coverage of Aquinas women's volleyball and all other Saints sports.
It's a great day to be a Saint.
