Volleyball Loses Two in Grand Rapids

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - UNOH volleyball took on (RV) Aquinas and Cornerstone on their two-day trip to Michigan September 22-23 dropping 3-0 to the Saints Friday night before losing 3-1 at Cornerstone on Saturday.

Aquinas 3 UNOH 0 (25-18, 26-24, 25-16)

The only lead for the Racers in set one came on the first point of the match before the Saints took four straight and held through the final point. UNOH didn't trail in the second game until 20-19, but came back to take the first set point 24-23. Aquinas scored the final three points to steal the set and go up 2-0. Despite falling behind 10-4 early, the Racers battled back to take a 12-11 lead. The teams traded a few points before the Saints took the lead for the final time at 16-15. 

UNOH was held without a double-digit scorer for just the second time this season, and the first since opening day. Aliyah Saylor led the team with with 8.5 points, matching her career best with eight kills on 18 attacks. Logan Thomas and Abigail Martin each finished with seven kills in the match.

Cornerstone 3 UNOH 1 (25-18, 14-25, 25-20, 25-14)

UNOH jumped out to a 5-1 lead to start game one holding onto the lead until Cornerstone rattled of seven straight to take control and the Racers couldn't close the gap the rest of the set. UNOH answered in game two and never trailed with just two ties at 4-4 and 8-8 to even the match at 1-1. It would be the last time the Racers led in the match with the Golden Eagles riding out games three and four to take the match 3-1.

Logan Thomas got back on track leading all players with 16.5 points. Thomas finished with twelve kills on 42 swings with five errors (.167) adding three service aces and three block assists. Abigail Martin also recorded twelve kills with just three errors on 32 attacks (.281). Savanna Reed hit a personal milestone with her 39 assists pushing her over 1,000 for her career. Reed becomes just the sixth Racer to hit that plateau boasting 1,030  in just under a season and a half at UNOH. Four Racers earned double-digit digs with Aubree Ricketts leading the way with 20 while Thomas finished with twelve, Reed with eleven and Madelyn Hampton with ten.

UNOH will wrap up a three-game road trip at Siena Heights on Wednesday, September 27, before returning home Friday and Saturday against Rochester and Lawrence Tech, respectively.