SIOUX CITY, Iowa (November 29, 2023) – The day that has been in sight for so long has finally come, 20 years later the St. Thomas Volleyball team (27-2, 14-0 SUN) returns to Pool Play at the NAIA National Tournament and the match did not disappoint. In a five-set thriller, STU came out on top in the opening match taking down the no. 7 seeded Corban Warriors 25-23, 26-24, 23-25, 20-25, 19-17.
 
This keeps the 22-match win streak alive as they also win their first pool play game since 2001. Coming into the 2023 tournament the Bobcats only had two NAIA postseason wins in program history, they have now doubled it this season winning the Opening Round and now their first pool play match. St. Thomas is now 27-0 when winning the first set this season.
 
St. Thomas got out to a hot start as fifth-year senior Amanda Allende got the first kill of the match. Allende ended the night tying her career high with 24 kills. The set continued trading points until STU broke out to an eight-point lead at 18-10, that then turned into 21-12 for a nine-point lead. Corban did not back down without a fight, rallying for six straight to make it a 22-20 and then tying it up at 23 all. Back-to-back kills from Alexandra Bruno solidified the set one win and gave the Bobcats the 1-0 match lead.
 
The Warriors earned the first point in the second set. Both teams traded off points once again. The momentum changed with a kill from Allende and service ace from Bruno, this put STU up 11-9 in the set. Corban regained the lead and held the upper hand for most of the second set, until St. Thomas locked in and tied it up at 19 all. The set was tied at five different points down the stretch: 19, 21, 22, 23, and 24. Tayla Barnes came up with the big kill to make it 25-24 and an eventual Warrior error gave STU the set win to make it 2-0 in the match.
 
Set three was much like set two with the early points trading off. The set was tied up until the 23-point mark, but this time it was Corban who was able to come up with the big play getting back-to-back blocks to end the set and make it a 2-1 match. The Bobcats did have more kills in the set at 17-13 but also had more attacking errors at 11-3.
 
The fourth set had the momentum going towards the Warriors as they opened the set up big at 7-1. It continued to grow to 10 at 14-4. Hope Leavy-Gaskins then checked into the game and changed the course of the match from this point forward. Leavy-Gaskins came in and got two straight kills that sparked a five-point rally to cut the lead in half. STU made a comeback and took the lead on a 10-2 run to make it 19-7. Corban ended the match on a 8-1 rally to close it out and force a fifth set tiebreaker.
 
In the winner take all set, both teams had to tighten up and limit the mistakes. Allende made her presence known on the first play of the set with a kill down the line. St. Thomas would open up to a 5-2 lead in the set. But just like in the other sets, Corban continued to battle and work their way back into it. The Warriors regained the lead three times in the final set and had the game tied at 17 all. With all momentum starting to tilt to Corban, Melanie Chiquillo checked in for the most import serve of her career and executed perfectly giving STU the advantage on a service ace on the libero. It was Tayla Barnes who ultimately put the game away with a kill for advantage and the block on the next point for the win.
 
Three Bobcats set or tied career highs: Bianca Grassi 44 digs, Payton Bertke 60 assists, Bruno 17 digs, and Allende with 24 kills. STU led the game in kills 73-66, aces 9-4, digs 99-91, and assists 68-60. Corban only led in blocks 17-8.
 
"Tonight's match perfectly exemplified the resilience these girls have," stated Head Coach Whitney Battoe. "We have come into this tournament confident and on a mission to prove something. I think we did that tonight and we are excited to get another chance to do that tomorrow."
 
St. Thomas will now play no. 10 Jamestown, Thursday November 30 to close out pool play. First serve is set at 8 p.m. Eastern time on the NAIANetwork.com.