Grand Rapids, Mich. -- Some nights remind you why you love sports, and Wednesday at Mol Arena was one of them. Two neighborhood rivals, a huge Maroon and White following, rallies that seemingly refused to end and enough remarkable saves to make you wonder how the ball ever touched the floor — this was FUN. No. 9 Aquinas and Cornerstone delivered an instant classic in a rivalry that would matter even if both teams were at the bottom of the standings, but carried considerably more weight with conference championships and dreams of the NAIA's Red Banner in the picture. The serving? Well, we'll get to that. And when the final point belonged to the Saints, both teams met at center court to share a prayer to our Lord — fierce competitors united in faith, putting a fitting finish on a night that represented so much of what WHAC and NAIA athletics are all about.
No. 9 Aquinas 3, Cornerstone 1 (25–21, 18–25, 25–18, 25–18)
The opening set gave the Saints an early opportunity to show just how much resolve they had brought up the street. Cornerstone built leads of 12–6 and 15–9, putting Aquinas in a six-point hole against a rival eager to make a statement on its home floor. Kate Schneider and Michelle Ramirez supplied the answer, combining for five kills during a six-point AQ surge that pulled the Saints even at 15–15 with Kami Morse serving. The Golden Eagles eventually regained a 21–19 advantage, but Aquinas claimed the final six points behind two kills from Cece Pelak, a Schneider kill, two blocks involving Jayla Martin and a Natalie West ace — turning a difficult start into a tremendous finish.
Of course, nobody expected Cornerstone to quietly hand over the rest of the evening. Schneider delivered consecutive kills to tie the second set at 5–5, but the Golden Eagles created separation and stretched their advantage to 15–9. Martin, Pelak and Nevaeh Bakker contributed kills as AQ tried to regain its footing, but Cornerstone kept the Saints from assembling another comeback. The hosts hit .263 with 15 kills in a 25–18 victory, evening the match and making it clear that this neighborhood disagreement still had plenty of volleyball left in it.
The third set was the kind of back-and-forth battle that makes an announcer appreciate a well-timed Diet Pepsi break. Neither team found much breathing room through a 16–16 tie, with Kaylyn Tuck contributing a kill, Bakker adding two and West finding an opening for a kill of her own. Martin put the Saints ahead with a kill, then West's ensuing four-point serving run featured an ace and a Martin-Schneider block as AQ opened a 21–16 lead. Pelak added another kill, and Aquinas finished the set on a 9–2 run for a 25–18 victory that put the Saints one set away from bringing this one home.
Cornerstone scored the first four points of the fourth set, but the Saints had already demonstrated that an early deficit was no reason to abandon the plan. Schneider's offense, a Tuck-Bakker block and a Morse ace helped Aquinas move ahead 6–5 before the Golden Eagles responded to take a 9–6 lead. Then the Saints started building a wall, with Bakker recording a solo block and West joining Martin for two more stops as AQ worked its way to a 15–12 advantage. Pelak supplied two kills around a Cornerstone attack error to stretch the margin to 19–14, and the closing push included two Bakker kills, a West-Bakker block and two Sophie Munch aces before Alexa Eden served the match-ending ace.
Now, about that serving. Aquinas finished with six aces and 11 service errors, while Cornerstone recorded three aces and 10 errors — a combined nine aces against 21 missed serves, giving both coaching staffs something to address after an otherwise entertaining evening. The Saints entered the match with 205 aces against 135 service errors, making Wednesday's reversal particularly unusual for a team accustomed to creating pressure from the line. Still, AQ made several of its best serves count when the stakes rose, from West's ace during the first-set finish to Munch's fourth-set pressure and Eden's final delivery.
Pelak led Aquinas with 15 kills and 18 digs, Schneider added 11 kills, and Bakker contributed 10 kills and six blocks. West directed the offense with 36 assists while adding eight digs, six blocks and two aces, and Martin anchored the front-row resistance with eight blocks and five kills. Morse collected 16 digs and four assists, while the Saints again found help throughout the lineup: Tuck supplied two kills and six digs, Ramirez delivered three kills, Brooke Price added four digs and two assists, Olivia Dennis collected three digs, and Munch finished with five digs and two aces. With Audrey Gil also seeing action and Eden providing the final point, 13 Saints contributed to a road victory cheered on by a huge AQ following that made sure the Maroon and White were heard inside Mol Arena.
Aquinas improved to 23–1 overall and 8–0 in the WHAC, while Cornerstone moved to 14–5 overall and 6–2 in conference play. The Saints head into Friday's next challenge ranked No. 9 in the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 and No. 5 in the Massey ratings, bringing another hard-earned conference victory and plenty of momentum back to Coach Bo Court.
Saints Snapshots
- No Panic, Just Saints. Down six in the opener, Aquinas regrouped and took the set with a six-point closing statement.
- The Saints Built a Wall. AQ's front row took command as the match progressed, making Cornerstone work for every opening.
- Everybody Stay Ready. Thirteen Saints answered the call, with contributions throughout the lineup helping swing a demanding road battle.
- A Rivalry Win Earned the Hard Way. Cornerstone delivered a serious test, and the Saints answered by taking control of the final two sets.
- The Neighborhood Heard the Saints. A huge Maroon and White following brought the noise, and AQ gave its traveling fans plenty to celebrate.
Coach's Comments
The excitement surrounding Aquinas women's volleyball keeps growing, but head coach Ryan Campbell continues to keep the Saints focused on the work ahead. Wednesday offered plenty to celebrate, along with plenty to sharpen as AQ prepares for the next challenge and the postseason beyond it.
"Tonight was a great test of our composure. Cornerstone challenged us, and I was proud of the way our players stayed together, responded to adversity and contributed when their opportunities came. We had different people make important plays throughout the match, and that depth matters. We also know we have to be cleaner from the service line and more consistent with our execution. Our fans gave us tremendous support tonight, and we appreciate that. This is a good win, but we have more work to do, starting with getting ready for Friday."
Up Next
Catch your breath, Saints fans — just don't get too comfortable. Campbell's squad returns to Coach Bo Court inside the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center on Friday, Oct. 2, for two matches against nationally recognized opponents as part of the AQ/CU Quad.
Aquinas hosts Spring Arbor at 4 p.m., followed by Indiana Wesleyan at 7 p.m., bringing another demanding doubleheader to the Maroon and White's home floor.
We hope to see you there, but if you cannot join us in person, both contests will be streamed live on the AQSaints Athletic Network with Joey Sutherlin on the call.
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.
