ADRIAN, Mich. -- Siena Heights sophomore setter Aubrey Bates broke 1,000 career assists in the first set of the Saints (10-3, 6-2 WHAC) 3-1 win over Aquinas (13-9, 5-3 WHAC) inside the SHU Fieldhouse on Friday night. Siena Heights bounces back from the loss on Wednesday with the victory tonight and takes control of the fourth spot in the league standings. The win also breaks a seven-game losing streak to Aquinas.
Bates finished with 36 assists to give her a career total of 1,032 assists. She is now 47 assists away from catching Cazzie Steudle for ninth on the career record chart. Olivia Norman also had a career night as she totaled 18 kills (.306), the highest so far in her young career. Aline Marinelo contributed with 13 kills (.522). Payton Osborne had a match-high 18 digs while also tallying two assists. Kadie Carsten finished with 16 digs, two service aces, and three kills.
Siena Heights let the first set get away as a 3-0 run brought the score to 11-10 before Aquinas rattled off five straight points to pull ahead 16-10. The lead grew to seven points (18-11), where it finished at the end of the set for a 25-18 win for the visiting Saints.
The hometown Saints hopped out to a quick 11-5 lead, but Aquinas battled back to take a 13-12 lead in the second set. The SHU Saints recaptured the lead with a 4-0 run that put them in front 21-17 as they pulled out a 25-20 decision and tied the set score at one game each.
The third set was another come-from-behind victory for the home team as Aquinas built an early advantage only to have SHU fight back to tie the score up at 15. With a 4-0 run, the navy and yellow pulled ahead 23-18 before shutting the door 25-21 to take the 2-1 advantage into the fourth.
A 3-0 run for Siena tied the score at 11. Yet again, the SHU Saints found a way to pull ahead late and stopped a rally by the other side to claim the 25-21 edge and the match.
Up Next
The Saints hit the road for a non-conference match against Spring Arbor tomorrow (Oct. 9) at 1:00 p.m. EST.
