(INDIANAPOLIS, IN) – The Thomas More University women's volleyball team lost a pair of matches during the opening day of the UIndy Invitational on Friday. They dropped both matches to Northwood University and McKendree University, 3-0.
Match 1: Northwood defeats Thomas More, 3-0.
- The Saints fought back and forth with the Timberwolves throughout the first set, tying the match as late as 15-15.
- To this point in the set, sophomore Brenna Young (Spring Hill, TN / South Oldham) had four kills for the Saints while sophomore Emily Acito (Cincinnati, OH / Mercy McAuley) had two.
- The Wolves ended the set on a 10-4 run to take a 1-0 lead.
- The Saints dropped the second set before the third set was very competitive.
- Northwood jumped out to a 16-6 lead, but a 9-5 Saints rally put them within striking distance at 21-15.
- They took advantage of several Wolves mistakes to cut into the lead.
- Northwood would take the set however and win the match 3-0 (25-19, 25-9, 25-17).
Match 2: McKendree defeats Thomas More, 3-0.
- The Bearcats grabbed set one before grabbing an 18-11 lead in the second set.
- Thomas More fought back and cut the lead to four at 21-17 with a 6-3 flurry.
- A trio of Acito kills along with an Asia Ferrando (Masone, Italy / Barletti Ovada) ace trimmed down the lead.
- McKendree would end the set with a 4-1 run to take a 2-0 lead.
- The Saints jumped out to a 13-6 lead in the final set, with four kills coming from sophomore Ebony Gomez (Merida, Venezuela / Colegio Salesiano San Luis) during the rally.
- The Bearcats would claw back and tie the match at 17-17, before continuing the rally and taking a 19-17 advantage.
- They wouldn't let up and extended their lead to 23-19.
- The Saints tried to get back into it, coming within two at 24-22, but McKendree would come away with the match 3-0 (25-11, 25-18, 25-22).
Match 1:
- Junior Sydney Hilderbran (Cincinnati, OH / Lakota West) recorded five kills to lead Thomas More.
- Junior Sam McClanahan (Georgetown, KY / Scott County) dished out 10 assists.
- Asia Ferrando had 14 digs.
- The team had a season-high six total blocks (8 assists, 2 solo).
Match 2:
- Ebony Gomez led the team with eight kills, while Emily Acito added seven.
- McClanahan had 23 assists and 11 digs, recording her first double-double of the season.
- Ferrando had 17 digs, while freshman Rylee Hood (Independence, KY / Holy Cross) recorded 11.
The Saints play Central State University tomorrow afternoon at Noon, whom they beat 3-0 last year in Crestview Hills. They follow that with a match against the host school University of Indianapolis at 6:00 p.m. to conclude their UIndy Invitational.
