(BIG RAPIDS, Mich.) – The Thomas More women's volleyball team opened their 2023 season on Friday with a doubleheader in the Ferris State Invitational. They dropped both matches on the day, with a 3-0 (25-8, 25-7, 25-10) loss to Ferris State University and a 3-1 defeat against Wayne State University (25-22, 23-25, 25-14, 25-23).
Match 1: Ferris State defeats Thomas More, 3-0.
- Sophomore Emily Acito (Cincinnati, OH / Mercy McAuley) led the Saints with six kills in the match.
- Sophomore Brenna Young (Spring Hill, TN / South Oldham) followed her with five kills.
- Junior Sam McClanahan (Georgetown, KY / Scott County) dished out 17 assists.
- Junior Asia Ferrando (Masone, Italy / Barletti Ovada) recorded 15 digs.
Match 2: Wayne State defeats Thomas More, 3-1.
- The Warriors took a 16-11 lead in set one.
- A trio of kills and an ace cut the Wayne State lead down to one at 16-15.
- Thomas More would tie the set at 22-22, but Wayne State wouldn't allow another point to take the set 25-22 and grab a 1-0 match lead.
- The second set was knotted up at 21-21 before a 3-1 Saints rally put them one point away from a set win.
- Two Sydney Hilderbran (Cincinnati, OH / Lakota West) kills led the way.
- Hilderbran put the finishing touches on the set with another kill to give the Saints their first Division II set victory.
- The Warriors claimed the third set and held an 18-14 lead in the fourth.
- Thomas More would claw back with a 7-2 run to take a 21-20 lead.
- Hilderbran provided two more kills during this flurry.
- Wayne State would prevail however with a 25-23 victory to win 3-1.
Match 1:
- Hilderbran had the first kill for the Saints to kick off the Division II era off an assist from McClanahan.
Match 2:
- Acito provided a career-high 16 kills to lead the Saints, hitting .262 in the match.
- Hilderbran had 10 kills for the Saints.
- McClanahan had 28 assists during the match.
- Ferrando recorded 29 digs, while Ruthie Neu (Greenwood, IN / Roncalli) had a career-high 18 digs in the match.
- Hilderbran and McClanahan teamed up for the Saints first Division II block for their first point in the second set.
Thomas More concludes the Ferris State Invitational with two more matches tomorrow, as they look for their first Division II victory. They battle Adelphi University at 9:00 a.m. before taking on Grand Valley State University at 2:00 p.m.
