(Adrian, MI) – The Thomas More University women's volleyball team was back in action Saturday afternoon after finishing 2-0 on day one at the 2022 Siena Heights Tournament. They dropped their first match to Cardinal Stritch University, 3-2 this morning before sweeping Roosevelt University, 3-0 in the afternoon to finish the tournament 3-1 and they are now 5-4 overall this season.
Match One – Cardinal Stritch Defeats Thomas More, 3-2 (20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 15-9)
The Saints marched out to a 17-10 lead in their first set of the day, being helped by several Wolves errors. Cardinal Stritch exploded for a 10-1 run, however, after falling behind to take a 20-18 set lead. In the set that was filed with runs, the Saints didn't panic, using a 7-0 push to end the set with a 25-20 victory to take a 1-0 match lead.
Sawyer Lorentz and
Ebony Gomez recorded a kill during the run.
Set two was close throughout, with the Wolves clinging to a late 22-21 lead after the Saints used a 5-1 flurry to get it to this point. The Wolves hung on with a 25-22 set win to tie the match at 1-1.
The third set kept the same theme, with it being tied 22-22. However, once again the Wolves grabbed the momentum and the match lead with a 25-22 set victory. The fourth set was all Saints as they held a 22-14 lead after starting the set off up 5-0. An
Emily Acito kill would send the match to a deciding fifth set.
The Wolves jumped all over Thomas More in the final set, taking a 10-2 lead. The Saints would cut it five at 13-8, but it wasn't enough as they lost 15-9 and the match 3-2.
Notables
Match Two – Thomas More Defeats Roosevelt 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-21)
Set one was all Thomas More, as they grabbed an 18-6 lead and never looked back in taking a 1-0 match lead. After trailing 10-9 in set two, an 8-2 push gave the Saints a 17-12 advantage.
Ally Albrinck had a pair of kills during this sequence. The Lakers cut it to 18-16, but that was as close as they would get as a 7-2 run ended the set and gave the Saints a 2-0 lead.
The final set saw Roosevelt hold a 13-10 lead. Thomas More answered the call with a 7-0 run that was manufactured by two Acito and Hilderbran kills. The Lakers cut the deficit back down to one at 19-18, but a 6-3 flurry put the match away for Thomas More.
Notables
- Acito and Gearries had seven kills for the Saints.
- Ferrando and Ruthie Neu had 13 and 10 digs, respectively.
- McClanahan had 28 assists.
What's Up Next
The Saints get a breather before their next match Friday, where they travel to No. 11 Indiana Wesleyan to take on the Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. They will then head to No. 25 Mount Vernon Nazarene next Saturday for a tri-match against the Cougars (12:00 p.m.) and West Virginia Tech (2:00 p.m.).
