ADRIAN, Mich. -- The Siena Heights men's volleyball team won the first two sets of the match against No. 9 Aquinas, but the visiting Saints rallied to force a fifth set and pulled out the 3-2 victory. Keegan Crawford (Columbus, Ohio) led the SHU Saints with a 40-assist, 16-dig double-double in the losing effort.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Aquinas 3, Siena Heights 2 (23-25, 23-25 ,25-23, 25-21, 15-11)
Location: Adrian, Michigan (SHU Fieldhouse)
Records: Aquinas (4-1, 1-0 WHAC), Siena Heights (3-6, 0-1 WHAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The home Saints used a 5-0 run to build a 6-2 lead. Aquinas would tie the score a few times, but SHU would retake the lead each time on the way to a 25-23 decision and a 1-0 lead.
The second set saw Siena Heights score points in bunches, eventually building a 20-12 lead. The AQ Saints would mount a large comeback and get within two points of tying, but the SHU Saints were able to hold on for the 2-0 advantage.
Aquinas took a 12-10 lead early in the third, but a 4-0 run by Siena Heights gave the home team a 17-14 edge that forced a timeout by the AQ Saints. SHU held a 21-19 lead late, but a 3-0 run by Aquinas helped them push to a two-point win and cut the deficit to 2-1.
The home Saints tied the score at seven and 14 in the fourth set but Aquinas forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-21 decision.
A 4-0 run gave the Saints in maroon a 9-6 lead and proved to be the difference in the match as Aquinas finished things out with a 15-11 victory to take the match.
TOP SAINTS
• Crawford added two service aces and three blocks to his stat line in the match.
• Kevin Gomez (La Estrella, Colombia) finished with 12 kills, two aces, three digs, and four blocks.
• Bryce Johnson (Pickerington, Ohio) managed 10 kills, nine digs, and three blocks.
• Emilier De Jesus (Chesterton, Ind.) had a team-high 20 digs while adding three assists and two aces.
THE OPPOSITION LEADERS
• Kills: Zane Moothart, 22; Joshua Boothroyd 20; Will Donald, 16
• Assists: Colby Elder, 68
• Digs: Josh Evers, 27; Ruben Lopez, 16
UP NEXT
The Saints hit the road to face Lawrence Tech in the first WHAC road contest of the season. The match is set for a 7:00 p.m., EST, opening serve.
