The Thomas More University men’s volleyball team secured a dominant 3-0 win over the University of Rio Grande Red Storm on Tuesday night in a Mid-South Conference match-up. The Saints improved their overall record to 7-2 this season and 2-1 in the MSC.
The first set was a tightly contested affair, with the Red Storm taking the lead early and holding it for much of the set. However, the Saints rallied towards the end of the set with a 3-0 run, finishing off the Red Storm with two attack errors, and clinching a 25-20 win. Senior Jacob Wehrman was instrumental in the win, contributing two key kills towards the end of the set.
In the second set, the Saints took control early on, building a quick 7-2 lead. The Red Storm tried to mount a comeback but were unable to tie or take the lead. The Saints closed out the set with kills from Dominic Rossi and Ben Albers, along with a Rio Grande error.
The Red Storm bounced back in the third set, building a 14-8 lead. However, the Saints came back strong with a 4-0 run, including two Rossi kills, to make it 14-12. The Red Storm managed to stretch their lead to 19-14, but the Saints responded with an impressive 8-1 run, powered by a series of Red Storm errors. The Saints eventually clinched a 25-22 win in the set, securing the 3-0 match victory.
Wehrman was the standout performer for the Saints, finishing with a team-high 12 kills on 18 swings (.667), the most by any Saint this season. Jonathan Litzler had 12 digs, while Albers had 10. Conner Young had his fourth match this season with 22 or more assists, finishing with 22 against the Red Storm. Eli Chambers also had an excellent outing, recording a season-high 16 assists. The Saints recorded 17 block assists, their fourth match with 10 or more block assists this season. As a team, Thomas More hit .352, their third match this season hitting .338 or better.
The Saints will look to carry their momentum forward as they face a tough test against the No. 7 ranked Georgetown College Tigers on Thursday night at 6:00 p.m. The Tigers will be a formidable opponent, and the Saints will need to be at their best to secure another victory.