MIAMI GARDENS, FLA.- St. Thomas (16-11, 13-1 TSC) took down Sun Conference opponents Warner (6-17, 4-10 TSC) on Tuesday night 3-1 (25-17, 25-22, 22-25, 25-17) at the Fernandez Family Center.
 
The Bobcats move one win closer to clinching the regular season Sun Conference Championship.
 
St. Thomas would start off the match with an 8-3 run, which was capped off with a Kimberly Martino service ace. Warner was pushed in to a corner, and ultimately had to call a timeout. Immediately after, Martino struck again from behind the stripe as she aced yet again.
 
The first block of the night came off the defensive hands of Whitney Battoe and Victoria Philpot, a block that put STU up 13-5. The set would close in favor of the Bobcats, 25-17.
 
Set two showed a resilient Royals side as they came back and brought the fight to the match.
 
The opening score line reached a 4-4 tie, and the Bobcats defended well to put the score line back in its favor. Back to back block assists from Sun Conference Attacker of the Week (Oct. 23) Carly Durr and blocking the machine, Courtney White.
 
St. Thomas went on an 8-1 run late in the second to pull out the victory in the set. To bring the Bobcats within one point, Durr would place a serve perfectly as the opposition could not return it. The final point came off the arm of freshman Philpot, as Martino set her up for one of her 35 assists on the night. The set would close out 25-22.
 
The third set was dropped by St. Thomas, 22-25.
 
The fourth and final set wavered a bit, as both teams continued to trade blows in the opening points of the set.
 
As the set reached its end, a much needed block assist gave the momentum to the Bobcats as the Royals looked to make a threat. The score line read 22-16 when Carli Batsel and Philpot made a crucial block. St. Thomas only allowed one more point at the end of this set to close out the match, 25-17.
 
Notable numbers on the night came from Battoe (14 kills, 14 digs and one block) and Durr (11 kills, 12 digs and three blocks). Setter Martino earned herself 35 assists, three service aces, 14 digs and one block while White registered nine kills, one service ace and two blocks.
 
On the defensive end, Veronica Gomez recorded a career-high 21 digs on the night while Haley Bannister dug on 18 occasions and aced the opposition one time. Philpot blocked three times.
 
Next up for the Bobcats is a home conference match-up against Johnson & Wales on Wednesday, November 1 at 7 p.m. at the Fernandez Family Center.
St. Thomas looks to clinch the title of regular season Sun Conference Champions with a win.
 
Come out and support!
 
Let's Go Bobcats!
 
 
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