WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (August 14, 2021) – The St. Thomas University (STU) Bobcats Volleyball team (1-1, 0-0 SUN) opened up the year splitting the day at the Palm Beach County Sports Commission Volleyball Classic hosted by Keiser University.  In the first match St. Thomas defeated the Loyola University Wolf Pack (La.) in four sets (25-19, 22-25, 25-23, 25-18) from the Countess de Hoernle Student Life Center. The second match was a five-set thriller that favored the visitors, no. 22 Madonna University Crusaders (Mich.) (23-25, 25-27, 25-18, 25-23, 5-15).
 
Match One Starters
Tyran Chenault
Sana Dennis
Arianna Bolinger
Amanda Allende
Loreto Nunez-Casal
Mia Thomas
Bianca Grassi – libero
 
Match One Stats

• This is the first time the Bobcats and Wolf Pack have ever matched up against each other.
• St. Thomas dominated set one on the offensive side, the team had a .481 hitting percentage and match-high 14-kills.
• The Bobcats played a controlled game in set one, the team only committed one hitting error.
• STU led in every major category except blocks (4-7).
• Amanda Allende had a tremendous offensive performance leading the way for the Bobcats with 13-kills.
• Freshmen, Bianca Grassi, had an amazing debut holding down the Bobcat back line with 26-digs. Grassi also led the team with eight service aces.
• Kyleigh Beecham and Mia Thomas ran the perfect 5-2 offense each collecting double-digit assists.
• STU had 15 service aces in the match, that is the most since November 2, 2016 against Johnson and Wales University (17).

 
Match Two Starters
Tyran Chenault
Sana Dennis
Arianna Bolinger
Mya Thomas
Loreto Nunez-Casal
Mia Thomas
Bianca Grassi – libero
 
Match Two Stats

• St. Thomas started the match down 0-2 in sets and worked their way back into a five-set battle.
• The Bobcats led in the following major categories over the no. 22 Crusaders:
  • 60-56 (kills)
  • 9-6 (service aces)
  • 14-10 (blocks)
  • 60-54 (assists)
• The Crusaders were held to a .025 hitting percentage in the third set.
• Tyran Chenault put on a show with 12-kills and seven-blocks.
• Sun Conference Player to Watch for St. Thomas, Sana Dennis shined in just her second match leading the way for the Bobcats in kills (13) and right behind Chenault in blocks (six).
• STU's 14-blocks was the most in match since November 12, 2019 (15, vs. Florida Memorial university).
• Mia Thomas collected her first double-double as a Bobcat with 34-assists and ten-digs.

 
Quote for Head Coach Whitney Battoe
"I'm really happy with the energy and competitiveness the girls brought to our season opener. We played really well against two strong teams and yet still have a handful of things we want to work on which is a great thing in my book. A lot of different players stepped up for us in key moments which shows how much depth we have this year."
 
Next Up
St. Thomas will head back up to West Palm Beach, Fla. to take on no. 2 University of Jamestown at 4 p.m. to wrap up the participation in the Palm Beach County Sports Commission Volleyball Classic.