November 5 -- The men's soccer team had already clinched the conference championship, but still had a road date with Cornerstone on their schedule. The Saints defeated the Golden Eagles 3-2 in overtime. Aquinas concludes the regular season with a 13-3-2 record overall and a 9-2-1 record in the WHAC.

Cornerstone jumped out to a very early 1-0 lead as Brian Nimmo found the back of the net in the second minute of play. The lead was short lived as Jeo Pantoja scored six minutes later on a set up by Rueben Ornelas-Luna. The Golden Eagles regained the advantage in the 29th minute as Issac Grotenhuis snuck one past the Saints keeper. The next 52 minutes passed with no goals until Jeo Pantoja scored his second goal of the game in the 81st minute to tie the score at one apiece. Pantoja completed the hat trick five minutes into overtime to secure the victory for the Saints. Jeo know has 13 goals on the season with eight of them coming as the game winner variety.

The Saints will open the WHAC tournament on Saturday as they host #4 seed Davenport starting at 2 p.m.

November 4 -- The women's volleyball team defeated Concordia three games to zero to notch their 25th victory of the season. The Saints overall record know stands at 25-5 and they finished off the WHAC portion of their schedule with an 11-3 mark. Aquinas and Madonna tied for second in the conference, but the Crusaders will hold the #2 seed in the upcoming WHAC tournament based off tie-breakers.

The Saints defeated the Cardinals (25-14, 25-19 and 25-21) in what could be a preview of the WHAC quarterfinal that Aquinas will host on Tuesday, November 10th at Forest Hills Northern at 7:30 p.m. Aquinas was led by Mollie Lounds who collected eleven kills. Chelsea Phillips played big in front of the net blocking five shots, while Katie Vander Meer led the team in assists with 27. Sarah LeClair was tops for the team in digs with 13.

November 4 -- The women's soccer team secured home field advantage for this Saturday's WHAC semifinal match-up with Davenport as the Saints defeated Cornerstone 1-0 to close out the WHAC regular season. Aquinas finishes the season in second place in the WHAC with a 8-3-1 record. Currently the Saints are 12-5-1 overall on the season.

Bri Hill continues her fantastic senior season as she scored the games lone goal in the 42nd minute. Olivia Dorgan was credited with the assist on Hill's 19th goal of the season. Bri is currently ranked 9th in the country in total goals. Kelsey Duley stopped all seven shots on goal to record the shutout.

#2 Aquinas will host #3 Davenport in one of the WHAC semifinal match-ups starting at 11 a.m. this Saturday.

October 31 -- The Aquinas College women's basketball team is busy preparing for the upcoming season. Recently though they took a break in action to work with a very special group of students from the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan.

The Saint's women's basketball program has always placed an emphasis on reaching out in the community and this
was truly a rewarding experience for all. Balls bounced, shots were taken, and happy smiles filled the gym as friendships were made.

October 31 -- The Saints look to hand out treats to their fans as they will try to trick the Indiana Tech Warriors this afternoon in men's and women's soccer action. The women's game will begin at 12:00 p.m. with the men's contest to follow.

The game will be broadcasted and archived on Michigan Sports Radio for those who cannot make it to the game. Be sure to come out and support the Saints or tune it at michigansportsradio.com.

GO SAINTS!!!

October 28 -- A stepping stone, a confidence boost, a monkey off the back --- call it what you want, but the Saints victory over #20 Madonna last night was a monumental leap forward for the Aquinas program. The five set victory, that saw the Saints come back from two down, lifts Aquinas' record to 22-5 overall and 9-3 in the WHAC.

After falling behind two sets to zero the Saints staged a huge rally to come all the way back to defeat the Crusaders 15-11 in the fifth set. The comeback was initiated by the play of captain Mollie Lounds who was nothing less than sensational for the Saints. Mollie recorded 20 kills (.514 attacking percentage) and combined for seven blocks. Chelsea Phillips also played big as she notched 20 kills and four blocks. Katie Vander Meer continues to "drive the bus" as she assisted on 51 kills, had 13 digs and seven kills.

Aquinas will return to action with a road contest at Rochester tonight and a home match versus Siena Heights on Friday starting at 7 p.m.

October 27 -- Preseason accolades for men's and women's basketball were handed out by the WHAC and the NAIA yesterday.

Aquinas' John Lierman was deemed WHAC Preseason Player of the Year by the WHAC coaches. The Aquinas men received votes in the NAIA preseason poll. The Saints will open their season with a date with University of Indiana - South Bend on November 5th.

Senior Joslyn Narber was selected to the preseason All-WHAC team by the WHAC coaches. The women's team will open the season ranked #17 in the country. Aquinas will tip-off the season on November 6th as they play Trinity Christian at Cornerstone.

October 22 -- After yesterdays hard fought victory over Davenport, the Saints were back at again today as they played host to Spring Arbor University. The two teams played to 0-0 draw after 110 minutes of game action. The Saints remain 8-2 in WHAC play and now carry a 12-3-1 overall record on the year.

Aquinas' defense has been stellar over the last seven games. During that span the Saints are 6-0-1 and have allowed only one goal. The work of goalies Guevara-Lehker and Demshuk has been outstanding, but often overlooked are the guys playing in front of the Saints goalie.

The trio of Sven Welz, Chad DuRussel and Calvin Bekins has been solid all year for the Saints. Midfielders like Mike Vaughan, Brian McKeough and Ruben Ornelas-Luna often do not show up in the stat sheet but their combination of physicality and finesse have been a major reason why the Saints are winning the WHAC.

Aquinas will enjoy a little break and return to action a week from Saturday as they host Indiana Tech at 3 p.m.

October 22 -- The women's soccer team defeated Concordia University to notch their 10th victory of the season. The Saints 5-0 shutout keeps the Saints in second place in the WHAC with a

6-2-1 record in league play.

After a slow start to the game the Saints finally found the back of the net in the 29th minute as Bri Hill scored her first goal of the game. The Saints senior scored a little over two minutes later on a setup by Emily Wabich. Jamie Tomaszewski closed the scoring in the first half as she scored her 10th goal of the season in the 38th minute, Heather Lewis was credited with the assist.

The Saints kept the pressure on in the second half as Teresa Buiocchi scored three minutes into the second half of play. Buiocchi then assisted on a goal by Cortney Havens in the 67th minute. The Saints had 18 shots on goal compared to the Cardinals one.

The Saints return to the field Wednesday as they host Davenport in a battle for second place in the WHAC.

October 22 -- The men's soccer team continues their defensive dominance as the Saints recorded their sixth straight victory, five which have been by shutout. Aquinas College defeated Davenport University 1-0 to run their league record to 8-2 and their overall record to 12-3. The victory avenges an early season 2-1 loss at Davenport.

The first half saw both teams feeling each other out and where the defenses held serve. The Saints were denied a shot on goal in the half, while the Panthers could only muster three. The second half started out the same way until Brian McKeough snuck one past Davenport's goalie in the 63rd minute. McKeough was set up on the play by freshman Heath Somers.

The Saints seemed to be in control of the match until a foul was called that gave the Panthers a penalty kick with just over six minutes to go in the game. Saints goalie Jesse Guevara-Lehker then guessed correctly and made the diving save to his right to preserve the victory.

The Saints will quickly return to action as they host Spring Arbor in a non-conference affair starting at 4 p.m. today.

The women’s race will feature the #7 and #9 ranked teams in the country in Cedarville (OH) and Indiana Wesleyan (IN). The field will also include # 13 Aquinas (MI), #16 Spring Arbor (MI), #19 St. Xavier (IL), #23 Taylor (IN), and #25 Cornerstone (MI).  

Top individuals in the women’s race include Cedarville's duo of Katie Gillespie and Lydia Wong. These two will be pushed by Joyce Woki (Spring Arbor), Alyssa Johnson (Taylor), Andi Owens-Ripley (Cornerstone) and Carly Plank (Aquinas).

The men’s race will be just as competitive as ranked teams in the field include #6 Shawnee State (OH), #7 Aquinas (MI), #9 Olivet Nazarene (IL) , #14 Cornerstone (MI) and #25 Cedarville (OH).  Also expected to battle for one of the top spots will be Indiana Wesleyan (IN), Taylor (IN) and Siena Heights (MI).

The individual race should be exciting as the packs of Shawnee State and Aquinas battle up front with Cornerstone's Zach Ripley and Alex Green, Drew Collette (Olivet Nazarene), Nate Martin (Spring Arbor) and Jesiah Rodriguez (Siena Heights).

The men’s race will start at 11:00 AM with the women’s race to follow at 12:00 PM.

October 20 -- The women's volleyball team saw their six game winning streak fall by the wayside last night as Indiana Tech defeated the Saints in straight sets. The loss (25-19, 25-21, and 25-22) drops the Saints to 7-3 in the WHAC and 19-4 overall.

Aquinas came out of the gates looking to spring the upset of the #15 ranked Warriors. The Saints built a 13-11 lead in the first set just to see Indiana Tech rattle off 14 of the next 20 points to win 25-19. The Saints fell behind early in the second set and were facing a 15-10 deficit when Aquinas went on a 10-6 run to close the gap to 21-20. The Saints would not climb any closer as the Warriors closed the set winning four of the final five points. In the third and decisive set the Saints held leads of 13-8 and 20-18, but could not seal the deal as Indiana Tech ended the match on a 7-2 run.

The Saints were led by Chelsea Phillips who recorded twelve kills and two blocks. Katie Vander Meer assisted on 29 kills and Sarah LeClair led the team in digs with 15. Aquinas will return to action on Thursday as they travel to play UM Dearborn at 7 p.m.

The Saints were led by freshmen Max Rouse and Joel Siegel who both carded 80's for their rounds. Also scoring for the Saints were Andrew Kish (85) and Corey Parks (88).

Overall the Saints finish the season in fifth place in the WHAC; Madonna edged Cornerstone by one stroke to claim the overall WHAC championship.

October 17 -- The men's soccer team maintained their lead in the WHAC with a 1-0 victory over Siena Heights. In a defensive battle, the lone goal of the game was scored by Jeo Pantoja in the 61st minute. The goal was set up on a corner kick by Ruben Ornelas-Luna. The goal for Pantoja was his seventh game winner of the season. Jesse Guevara-Lehker was credited with the shutout.

Aquinas will look to close in on the WHAC title as they begin a three game home stand starting with Davenport on Wednesday at 2 p.m.

The women's soccer team fell to Siena Heights in a battle of the top two teams in the WHAC. Siena Heights' offense connected on two of their twelve shots on goal. Susie Palushaj opened the scoring for Siena as she found the back of the net in the 31st minute. A late goal by Mackenzy Hickner in the 89th minute preserved the victory.

The Saints will look to get back into the win column as they host Concordia on Wednesday starting at 4 p.m.

October 15 -- The women's soccer team cleared another hurdle last night as they defeated Madonna 2-1 in overtime. The win for Aquinas was their seventh in their last eight games. The victory also sets up the showdown on Saturday with conference front runner Siena Heights (10-2-2, 7-0-1 WHAC). Currently the Saints are 9-3-1 overall and have a 5-1-1 record in the WHAC.

On a cool, blustery fall day the Saints and Crusaders were knotted in a scoreless tie for much of the first half until Madonna's Kaila Moore found the back of the net in the 43rd minute. Aquinas responded with a goal of their own eleven minutes into the second half. Bri Hill notched her 13th goal of the season on an assist from Jamie Tomaszewski to tie the score at one.

Both defenses kept each other from forging ahead for the remainder of regulation. The Saints quickly ended the game in the first overtime as Jaime Tomaszewski scored three minutes into the extra stanza on a play set up by Bri Hill and Olivia Dorgan. Kelsey Duley recorded the win as she stopped six of seven shots by Madonna.

October 14 -- The women's volleyball has been almost perfect in the month of October. Including last night's three set victory over Davenport, the Saints have amassed a six game winning streak in which they have won 18 of a possible 19 sets (including 16 in a row). The Saints, who are currently holding onto the third place position in the WHAC, record now stands at 19-3 on the season.

The Saints used quick starts to each of the sets to build early leads. Davenport would rally and close the gaps, but the Saints responded to all the runs with timely kills and solid defense

(25-19, 25-20, 25-18). Mollie Lounds continues her fantastic junior season as she led the Saints with eleven kills and four blocks. Katie Vander Meer controlled the game from start to finish as she tallied 31 assists, twelve digs, five kills and three blocks. Jessica Curtis found the soft spot in the defense as she recorded three aces on the night.

Aquinas will be off until Monday when they host conference leader Indiana Tech at Forest Hills Northern at 7 p.m. Currently the Warriors are ranked #15 in the country and are 8-0 in conference play and 19-7 overall.

October 13 -- Aquinas College swept the weekly offensive player of the week honors handed out by the WHAC. Bri Hill and Jeo Pantoja both were honored for their point production last week for the Saints.

Hill, a senior from Kalamazoo, Mich., recorded a hat trick in a 5-1 win against Concordia  to earn the Offensive Player of the Week award. It is her third hat trick in four games for the Saints. The forward ranks 14th in the nation for total goals (12) and No. 23 for goals per game average (1.0). Her 25 points on the season is good enough for No. 26 in the nation. Aquinas improved to 8-3-1 record (4-1-1) and will face Madonna tomorrow.

To earn Offensive Player of the Week honors, Pantoja, a forward from Grand Rapids, Mich., scored points in each game as the Saints went a perfect 3-0 on the week. Jeo set up the lone goal for an assist in a 1-0 victory over Madonna and scored two game-winners against Concordia (2-1) and University of St. Francis (Ind.), 2-0. The junior currently ranks first in the nation for game-winning goals with six on the season and ranks No. 30 for total goals with nine. Aquinas is now 10-3 on the year and sits alone atop the WHAC leader board at 6-2.

Congratulations Bri and Jeo!!!

October 11 -- The men's and women's cross country teams participated in the Michigan Intercollegiate Championships this past Friday at Calvin College's home course in Grand Rapids. The meet consisted of 25 men's teams and 21 women's teams, all from the state of Michigan. On a day when times ran slow due to wet and muddy conditions, the Saints competed very well to finish amongst the tops in the state.

The men's team finished fourth trailing only the University of Michigan, Grand Valley State and Eastern Michigan. The Saints used a :25 second 1-5 gap to run their best race of the season. Sophomore Dustin Heiler led the charge as he finished in 25th place (26:08). Following Heiler through the finishing chute was Rob Veldman (28th/26:14), Mike Gravelyn (36th/26:24), Victor Ramirez (38th/26:30) and Mike Morgan (40th/26:33). Rounding out the top seven for the Saints was Nate Poirier (53rd/26:53) and Kolin Stickney (61st/27:02).

The women's team placed seventh behind Grand Valley State, Calvin, Hillsdale, Western Michigan, Michigan State and Central Michigan. Carly Plank led the Saints attack as she finished in 17th place (18:47). Following Plank to the finish line was Katy Cramer (33rd/19:16), Alicia Boynton (47th/19:37), Emily Popma (56th/19:55) and Alina Dhaseleer (58th/19:59). Caitlin Bonney (67th/20:15) and Megan Byrne (68th/20:16) also factored into the scoring for the Saints.

Aquinas will return to action on October 24th as they host the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge at Riverside Park.

October 9 -- The women's volleyball team entered the match with Spring Arbor with a perfect 6-0 set record on the week; the Saints defeated both Concordia and Cornerstone in straight sets. The Cougars were riding their own streak into the match as Spring Arbor had won six straight games and found themselves perched atop of the Mid-Central Conference. Bottom line, something had to give.

On this night it was the Saints that kept to their winning ways as Aquinas was in control of the match from start to finish. Solid hitting, timely blocks and persistent pressure kept the Cougars at bay. Aquinas won in straight sets (25-19, 25-21, 25-15), to run their unbeaten set streak to ten sets. Currently on the season the Saints record sits at 17-3.

The trio of Jessica Curtis, Chlesea Phillips and Mollie Lounds all recorded double digit performance in the kill department. Katie Vander Meer played a hand in most of those plays as she notched 42 assists on the night. Aquinas will close out the busy week on Saturday as they travel to play Calumet College of St. Joesph (0-21) on Saturday.

October 8 -- The women's volleyball team extended their winning streak to three games as the Saints defeated Cornerstone three sets to zero. The victory keeps the Saints in the upper echelon of the WHAC with a 6-2 league mark and a 16-3 record overall.

Aquinas played one of their more complete games of the year as the Saints were functioning on all cylinders. The Saints attack combined with strong defensive play led to the 3-0 (25-23, 25-20 and 25-21) victory over the Golden Eagles. Outstanding performances were turned in by Mollie Lounds (13 kills and four blocks), Taylor Rudland (10 kills and 13 digs), Chelsea Phillips

(nine kills and three blocks) and Katie Vander Meer (33 assists and four blocks).

The Saints will host Spring Arbor (15-7) tonight at Forest Hills Northern starting at 7 p.m.

October 8 -- The men's soccer team outlasted Madonna in a physical, defensive battle. The game saw more yellow cards (8) than shots on goal (7). Even though the Saints only could muster three shots, Brian Himes made his count in the 36th minute when he scored on a header set up by Jeo Pantoja. For Himes it was his fifth goal of the season. The win keeps the Saints in first place in the WHAC (5-2, 15 points) and ups their overall record to 8-3.

Jesse Guevara-Lehker recorded his fifth shutout of the season stopping all four of the Crusaders shots. Aquinas will return to action on Saturday as they travel to Concordia (2-5 WHAC, 4-6-1) to play the Cardinals.

October 7 -- The women's volleyball team kicked off a stretch of four matches in a span of five days with a victory over Concordia three games to zero. The Saints maintain their third place position in the WHAC with a 5-2 record (15-3 overall).

At times the play was a little ragged versus the Cardinals, but the Saints overcame some hitting errors and were able to finish Concordia off in three sets (25-15, 25-23, 25-21). The Saints were once again led by their captains Mollie Lounds and Katie

Vander Meer. Lounds recorded 14 kills and had two blocks on the evening, while Vander Meer notched 26 assists to pace the Saints.

No rest for the weary as Aquinas will travel to Cornerstone tonight, host Spring Arbor tomorrow and finally travel to Calumet College of St. Joseph on Saturday.

October 6 -- The Aquinas men's soccer match on Wednesday, October 7 against Madonna has been moved to Northville Community Park and will now start at 3pm, one hour earlier than the previously scheduled 4pm kickoff. 

NCP is located on Beck Road just north of Five Mile Road. MU will use Field No. 1, which is located next to the cell phone tower. Fans are asked to enter NCP via the Beck Road entrance. From Madonna University the best route is to take I-96 west to M-14 west and exit at Beck. Take Beck north just past Five Mile Road and the complex is located on the left, roughly 1/4 mile north of Five Mile. 

The change was necessary as the Crusaders' normal home field - Greenmead Field - was unavailable for Wednesday's match.

October 5 -- Jesse Guevara-Lehker of Aquinas College has been named the Men's Soccer Defensive Players of the Week for the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference.

Guevara-Lehker, a sophomore from Grand Rapids, Mich., recorded four saves to earn his fourth shutout of the season in Aquinas' 1-0 victory against Cornerstone University. It is the second weekly honor for the goalie, who currently ranks No. 25 in the country with a 0.700 GAA. He was named Player of the Week on Sept. 21 as well. Aquinas sits at 7-3 overall, 4-2 in WHAC play.

DU, the defending regular-season champions, was continually ranked in the top five nationally and advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2008-09 NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship. The Panthers return all five starters from a 31-3 team, including WHAC Player of the Year and All-American Kallie Benike who returns for her junior year. Honorable Mention All-American Kristi Boehm will also lend leadership to a team with depth. In addition to returning its starting five, DU returns its tip 11 out of 12 players.

Aquinas posted its fifth 20+ win season in 2008-09 and will look for its sixth this year with the help of Joslyn Narber and her 17 points and six rebounds per game. The Third-Team All-American will be joined by fellow starter Kaitlin Lang. The Saints finished third in the conference during the regular season and lost in the opening round of the national tournament after qualifying with an at-large bid. 

Madonna returns three starters from its 15-17 team of a year ago. All-Conference performer Kim Olech leads the way along with Tabatha Wydryck. The two combined for 22 points and 15 rebounds per game. The Crusaders are blessed with depth as they sport their largest roster in quite a few years.

October 5 -- The Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference announced today their selections for post season honors in the sport of women's golf. Aquinas College was well represented on the list. The Saints finished their season in third place at the conclusion of the WHAC jamborees.

All-WHAC 1st Team: Abigail Hagan

All-WHAC Honorable Mention: Taylor Giesen-Bayley

All-WHAC Academic: Anne Hertl, Gretchen Gangwier

Champion of Character: Anne Hertl

Congratulations Ladies!!!

October 4 -- The men's soccer team notched a 1-0 Homecoming victory over cross town rival Cornerstone. The Saints, who are in a first place tie with Indiana Tech, are currently 4-2 in the WHAC and 7-3 overall.

The large crowd for Homecoming 2009 saw the Saints and Golden Eagles square off in a defensive struggle under rainy, overcast skies. Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the first half. So with the game scoreless early in the second half Michael Vaughan delivered the eventual game winner off a corner kick by Ruben Ornelas-Luna in the 50th minute. The defense and goaltender Jesse Guevara-Lehker (4 saves) held Cornerstone at bay to preserve the win.

Aquinas will return to action on Wednesday as they travel to Madonna to tangle with the Crusaders.

October 4 -- The women's soccer team netted a homecoming victory thanks in part to the foot of Bri Hill. Hill recorded her second hat trick in the past week. The 4-0 victory over Cornerstone lifts the Saints to a 3-1-1 mark in the league and a 7-3-1 record overall.

Even on the rainy, overcast day the Saints and their homecoming crowd were full of school pride and enthusiasm. Aquinas scored first in the 26th minute on Hill's first goal the game on an assist from Jamie Tomaszewski. Goals by Rande Siroky and Bri Hill right before halftime extended the Saints lead to 3-0. The second half started with a bang as Hill completed her hat trick 23 seconds into the second stanza. Olivia Dorgan assisted on both Hill's second and third goals of the game. Kelsey Duley once again kept the ball from crossing the goal line to record the shutout victory.

Aquinas will return to action on Saturday as they travel to Concordia (3-7, 1-5 WHAC) to play the Cardinals.

Aquinas senior Rob Veldman (25:51/23rd) led a charge of four Saints finishing within 16 seconds of each other. Following Veldman was Victor Rameriz (25:59/27th), Dustin Heiler (26:03/30th) and Mike Gravelyn (26:07/34th). Sophomores Kolin Stickney (26:36/63rd), Mike Morgan (26:47/77th) and Nick Thelen (26:48/81st) rounded out the scoring for the Saints. The race consisted of 408 competitors.

In the women's race freshman Carly Plank (18:31/16th) was the first Saint to cross the finish line. Following Plank was Katy Cramer (19:15/51st), Alicia Boynton (19:32/74th), Alina Dhaseleer (19:45/96th) and Sam Rinkus (19:56/110th). Kaitlyn Meernik (20:05/116th) and Kelsey Webb (20:08/119th) finished in the sixth and seventh spots for the Saints. The women's race saw 378 runners complete the course.

Aquinas returns to action on Friday, October 9th as the Saints stay in Grand Rapids to compete at the Michigan Intercollegiate Championships hosted by Calvin College.

The Saints were led by freshmen Max Rouse and Joel Siegel who both carded 79's for their rounds. Also scoring for the Saints were Brad Hall and Andrew Kish who tied for 24th on the day with matching 81's.

The Saints will return to action on Monday October 19th when Cornerstone will host the last jamboree of the season at Quail Ridge Golf Course in Grand Rapids.

October 2 -- The women's volleyball team notched their 14th victory of the season as the Saints defeated Siena Heights in four sets. The road victory keeps the Saints in third place in the WHAC with a 4-2 league mark, overall the Saints record stands at 14-3.

Aquinas set the tone early and raced out to a quick two set lead. The Saints won the first set (25-19) and followed with a (25-13) second set win. Siena Heights fought back and won the third set (25-23) to stay alive. A very competitive fourth and decisive set was won by Aquinas (27-25). The Saints attack was led by Mollie Lounds (17 kills), Jessica Curtis (13 kills) and Chelsea Phillips (13 kills). Katie Vander Meer assisted on 44 kills and Sarah LeClair led the team in digs with 21.

The Saints will stay on the road as they travel to Ann Arbor to battle Concordia on Tuesday.

October 1 -- The women's soccer team suffered a setback to cross town rival Davenport 3-0. The Saints who have been riding an offensive tidal wave were shut out by the Panthers and now find themselves with a 2-1-1 record in the WHAC and a 6-3-1 record overall.

Davenport's Catherine Howard posted the shutout in net for the Panthers. Howard stopped all six of the Saints shots on goal. Davenport received two goals from Ashley Phillips and another by Ashley Deruiter. The two teams will battle again on October 28th at Aquinas College.

The Saints will next take the field on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. as they host Cornerstone in the annual Homecoming game.

September 30 -- The women's golf team was victorious in the fourth and final jamboree of the season. The Saints outdistanced second place Madonna by twelve strokes at Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, Michigan.

Madonna was crowned the overall WHAC team champion, while Davenport's Caitlin Duval won the conference most valuable award. The Saints finished third overall, eight strokes behind Indiana Tech who finished in second place.

Freshman Abigail Hagan concluded her fantastic freshman season with rounds of 86 & 80 to finish in a second place tie. Anne Hertl played her best golf of the season as she finished in sixth place (89 & 86). Taylor Giesen-Bayley had a great second day to finish in ninth place (97 & 86). Elizabeth Couturier (96 & 97) rounded out the scoring for the Saints with a 15th place finish.

Final WHAC Women's Golf Standings

1. Madonna -- 2481 strokes

2. Indiana Tech -- 2507

3. AQUINAS COLLEGE -- 2515

4. Davenport -- 2620

5. Cornerstone -- 2875

6. Concordia -- 2957

7. Siena Heights -- Inc.

September 30 -- The women's volleyball fell short in their upset bid of the #9 ranked team in the country, Madonna. The Saints never could quite get over the hump as the Crusaders had an answer for every Saint rally. The loss drops Aquinas to 3-2 in the conference and 13-3 overall.

After a slow start (Madonna won set one 25-15), the Saints and Crusaders matched up very evenly. Both the second and third sets came down to wire with Madonna holding on in both of them (25-22 and 26-24). The Saints received fine play from Mollie Lounds who led the Saints with eleven kills and five blocks. Katie Vander Meer recorded 29 assists and Sarah LeClair was on the receiving end of 18 digs.

Aquinas will travel to Adrian on Thursday to play Siena Heights starting at 7 p.m.

September 29 -- Because of their efforts in helping Aquinas College post a 3-0 week, Jaime Tomaszewski and Kelsey Duley have been named the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Women's Soccer Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week.

Hailing from Linden, Mich., Tomaszewski netted seven goals and had one assist in the three wins. The sophomore midfielder scored the first hat trick of her career in a 6-2 win against Hope College (Mich.). It wouldn't be her only feat as she scored a second hat trick during a 7-0 win at Indiana Tech. Jaime added an assist in that game as well. Her final goal was recorded during Aquinas' 2-1 win at University of St. Francis (Ind.). Tomaszewski now has eight goals this season and three assists.

Duley, a goalkeeper from Cadillac, Mich., allowed just one goal during the two wins. In the Hope match, she allowed one goal in 45 minutes of playing time. The junior put in the full 90 minutes for the Indiana Tech game to earn the shutout. Duley has recorded 33 saves this season.

Aquinas, riding a four-game winning streak, improves to 6-2-1 overall and 2-0-1 in the conference. The Saints return to action tomorrow against cross-town rival Davenport University.

September 29 -- The women's golf team holds a two stroke lead over Madonna after day one of the fourth and final WHAC jamboree of the year. The day one round was contested under wet and rainy conditions at Pheasant Run Golf Course in Canton, Mich.

Freshman Abigail Hagan (86) is currently in fourth place after day one of the jamboree. Anne Hertl (89), Liz Couturier (96) and Taylor Giesen-Bayley (97) all factored into the scoring for the Saints.

The women conclude their season today as they finish the jamboree at Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, Mich.

The Saints were led by senior Brad Halll who shot a 79 for his round; good enough for a seventh place tie overall. Other Saints who rounded out the scorecard were Joel Siegel (80), Max Rouse (84) and Andrew Kish (86).

The Saints will return to action on Saturday when they travel to Livonia to take part in the jamboree hosted by Madonna University.

September 27 -- The women's soccer team continues to impress as the Saints recorded a 7-0 shutout victory over Indiana Tech. During the Saints current four game winning streak, Aquinas has outscored its opponents 18-4. Aquinas currently has a record of 2-0-1 in the WHAC and 6-2-1 overall.

Aquinas' Bri Hill and Jamie Tomaszewski both recorded hat tricks for the Saints. For Tomaszewski it was her second three goal performance of the week. Jaime started the scoring for the Saints during the 11th minute of play on a set up from Hill. Aquinas held the 1-0 advantage until the 32nd minute and that's when the offense came alive. Tomaszewski and Hill both found the back of the net twice over the next 15 minutes to give the Saints the 5-0 advantage early in the second half. During the 54th minute Hill completed her hat trick on a pass from Tomaszewski. Emily Wabich finished off the scoring for the Saints as she scored the Saints seventh goal of the game; she was assisted on the play by Nicole Crafts.

Aquinas will look to extend their winning streak on Wednesday as they travel to Davenport to play the Panthers in key WHAC showdown.

September 27 -- The men's soccer team concluded a rough week with a 3-1 setback at Indiana Tech. Coupled with the Saints loss on Wednesday, Aquinas now finds themselves tied with three other teams at the top of the WHAC standings. The Saints are currently 3-2 in league play and 6-3 overall.

Mike Lewis and Indiana Tech wasted little time jumping out to an advantage as Lewis scored an early first half goal. Ten minutes later Lewis stuck again and gave the Warriors a 2-0 advantage. The lone goal for the Saints was recorded in the 28th minutes as Heath Somers (7th goal of the season) scored an unassisted goal to bring the Saints within one. Indiana Tech's Joel Putek added a late insurance goal in the 72nd minute to preserve the victory 3-1.

Aquinas will look to get back into the win column on Wednesday as they travel to Spring Arbor to tangle with the Cougars.

September 25 -- The women's soccer team has now won three consecutive games and seems to be peaking as they head into the month of October. The offense is clicking, while the defense and goaltending has been consistently solid. The Saints defeated St. Francis (IN) 2-1 in double overtime to run their overall record to 5-2-1.

After a scoreless first half the Saints broke the deadlock with a goal in the 69th minute by Jamie Tomaszewski. The assist on Tomaszewski's fifth goal of the season was credited to Emily Wabich. With ten minutes to go in the game St. Francis tied the score as Angie Carusone slipped one past the Saints goalie.

After regulation time the two teams were knotted up at one apiece. The first overtime came and went and the score remained tied. Saints goalie Mary Lothschutz came up big in the first overtime stopping three shots on goals. The Saints ended the game in the 102th minute on goal by Bri Hill. Hill was assisted on the play by Courtney Havens.

The Saints will return to action on Saturday as they travel to Fort Wayne to square off with Indiana Tech.

September 25 -- The women's golf team concluded a two day jamboree that was contested on both Aquinas' and Davenport's home courses. The Saints were in fourth place after day one and finished one spot higher after day two to record the third place finish. Madonna won the event; finishing four strokes ahead of Indiana Tech.

Coach Pupel's ladies were led by a trio of freshman. Abigail Hagan finished in 5th place with matching rounds of 86. Anne Couturier (86, 95) finished tied for 10th place and Kristin Pike

(91, 92) finished in 13th place. Taylor Giesen-Bayley (92, 97) rounded out the scoring for the Saints.

Aquinas will conclude their season with the final WHAC jamboree that will be contested on Monday and Tuesday at Concordia's and Madonna's home courses.

September 25 -- The women's volleyball team got back to their winning ways with a three set sweep over UM Dearborn (25-17,

25-11 and 25-20). The Saints overcame nine service errors and a pesky UM Dearborn team that would not back down. Aquinas now stands with a 3-1 record in league play and a 13-2 record overall.

Aquinas' middle hitters continued their fine seasons as both Mollie Lounds and Chelsea Phillips recorded ten kills apiece. Katie Vander Meer recorded 32 assists for the Saints.

The Saints will now face nationally ranked Madonna University at Forest Hills Northern on Tuesday starting at 7 p.m. The Crusaders are currently 5-0 in the WHAC and 16-1 overall.

September 24 -- The men's soccer team saw their six game winning streak come to a halt last night as they were defeated by Davenport 2-1. The Saints are now 3-1 in conference play and find themselves in a three way tie for first place with Cornerstone and Davenport (all three schools have nine points apiece).

Davenport quickly jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as Duvare Minto scored on a header off a goalie save during the 10th minute of play. Fast forward the game 70 minutes and the Saints were able tie the Panthers on Heath Somers sixth goal of the season. Somers header off Brian McKeough's corner kick in the 80th minute knotted the contest at one apiece. Davenport did not waste any time in recapturing the lead as the Panthers netted the game winner in the 83rd minute on a goal by Alex Dums Boehm.

Aquinas will look to start a new winning streak on Saturday as they travel to Indiana Tech to battle the Warriors.

September 24 -- The women's soccer team's offense came alive against Hope College as the Saints scored six goals. Aquinas used a four goal flurry in a 15 minute span in the first half to give themselves some breathing room against the Dutch. The 6-2 victory pushes the Saints overall record to 4-2-1.

Jamie Tomaszewski's sparked the Saints offense as she was responsible for three of the four goals in the first half. Tomaszewski scored goals during the 20th, 24th and 35th minute to complete the hat trick. Jamie was assisted by teammates Matthea Brandenburg, Courtney Havens and Emily Wabich on her goals. Freshman Courtney Havens also added her first goal in an Aquinas uniform as she found the back of the net in the 31st minute off a corner kick by Lynsey Pelak.

Second half goals were recorded by Bri Hill on a penalty kick and by Teresa Buiocchi, who netted her fourth goal of the season. Kelsey Duley and Mary Lothschutz split time in net recording two saves on four shots on goal.

The Saints will look to keeping the offense clicking today as they travel to Fort Wayne to play a non-conference game versus St. Francis.

September 23 -- The women's volleyball team saw their nine game winning streak come to a halt last night as they were defeated by Indiana Tech in four sets. The loss for the Saints is their first in conference play (2-1) and their overall record now stands at 12-2.

After falling behind two sets to zero (25-19 and 26-24), the Saints gained some momentum and captured set three 25-13. On the night that would be as close as the Saints could get as the Warriors prevailed in the fourth set 25-17. The Saints were led by Mollie Lounds and her twelve kills. Katie Vander Meer added 34 assists and three service aces, while Sarah LeClair accounted for 20 digs.

The Saints return to action on Thursday as they host UM Dearborn (3-13, 0-4 WHAC) at Forest Hills Northern starting

at 7 p.m.

September 22 -- Jesse Guevara-Lehker of Aquinas College have been named the Men's Soccer Defensive Players of the Week for the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference.

Guevara-Lehker tallied seven saves during Aquinas' two victories to notch two shut-outs during the week for the defensive honor. In a 4-0 win against Concordia, the sophomore keeper from Grand Rapids, Mich. recorded four saves. He added three more saves to secure a 1-0 victory against No. 13-ranked St. Xavier University (Ill.). Guevara-Lehker has allowed only five goals this year and ranks No. 42 nationally with 5.4 saves per game. The Saints, 6-1-0, will take a six-game winning streak into Davenport on Wednesday.

The junior from Kentwood, Mich. averaged 10.9 assists and 3.3 digs during the Saints' wins against Davenport University (3-0) and Cornerstone University (3-1). Against Davenport, she recorded 31 assists, 10 digs, five kills and had one serving ace. In the Cornerstone win she had 45 assists, 13 digs and 13 kills.

Vander Meer is off to a great start this season, averaging 9.1 assists per game for a Top 50 ranking. She is also averaging 2.5 kills per game.

Aquinas, 12-1, is riding a nine-match winning streak. The lone loss came to Wayne State University (Mich.) during the first week of the season. Vander Meer and her teammates take the court again tonight at Indiana Tech.

September 19 -- Two soccer heavyweights met on Saturday afternoon for a 90 minute display of what defensive soccer is all about. Both teams entered the contest riding five game winning streaks, so something had to give or did it?

The action saw no scoring and only a few shots on goal (a total of eight for both teams combined) for the majority of the game. The Saints Jesse Guevara-Lehker and St. Xavier's Ian Pickett were only tested a few times, but both made the big save when called upon.

The game turned in the Saints favor in the 82nd minute as Aquinas scored the lone and decisive goal of the game off the foot of Jeo Pantoja. Pantoja's seventh goal of the season was made possible on a nice pass by Joey VanGessel. A late flurry by the Cougars in the Saints end during the last minute kept the crowd on the edge of the seats, but no damaged was done and the Saints had defeated the #13 ranked team in the NAIA 1-0.

The Saints (6-1, 3-0) return to action on Wednesday as they travel to Davenport (4-3, 2-1 WHAC) to play the Panthers at 4 p.m.

September 19 -- The women's golf team took part in a two day WHAC jamboree this weekend hosted by both Indiana Tech and Siena Heights. Highlighting the rounds was the

breakthrough performance of freshman Abigail Hagan who carded rounds of (86) and (81) to win the jamboree by two strokes over Indiana Tech's Megan Garrison. The Saints Taylor Giesen-Bayley also turned in a great couple of rounds as she shot (84) and (88) to finish in third place overall. As a team the Saints played their best golf of the season and placed 2nd, finishing only four strokes behind Madonna. Anne Hertl and Elizabeth Couturier also factored into the scoring for Aquinas.

The Saints will return to the links with another two day jamboree this Wednesday and Thursday hosted by Aquinas College and Davenport University. Action begins at Scott Lake Golf Course at Noon on Wednesday.

Aquinas senior Rob Veldman (25:11/5th) led a charge of six Saints finishing within 60 seconds of each other. Following Veldman was Dustin Heiler (25:39/15th), Mike Gravelyn (26:02/26th), Kolin Stickney (26:08/28th) and Victor Ramirez (26:11/31st). Junior Nate Poirier (26:11/32th) and Nick Thelen (26:20/35th) rounded out the scoring for the Saints.

In the women's race freshman Carly Plank (18:23/11th) made her college debut with a great opening race. Following Plank was Katy Cramer (18:53/20th), Samantha Rinkus (19:27/35th), Alina Dhaseleer (19:29/40th) and Emily Popma (19:33/43rd). Kelsey Webb (19:34/45th) and Alicia Boynton (19:41/5st) finished in the sixth and seventh spots for the Saints. The 95:45 team time ranks as the fifth fastest performance of all-time for the Saints.

Aquinas returns to action on Saturday, October 3rd as the Saints travel to Chicago to compete in the Sean Earl Invitational hosted by Loyola University.

September 17 -- Whenever Cornerstone and Aquinas square off in women's volleyball the atmosphere is usually the same. A high energy match in which neither team gives an inch. This was true tonight as both the Saints and Golden Eagles played inspired volleyball with Aquinas outlasting Cornerstone three sets to one. The victory for the Saints keeps them perfect in WHAC play (2-0) and helps run their overall record to 12-1.

After winning the first set 25-17, the Saints dropped the second set to the Golden Eagles, thanks in part to fine play of Cornerstone's Becky Albrecht who led both teams with 17 kills. Aquinas showed mental toughness and grit in sets three and four as they possessed that refuse to lose attitude and walked away with the victory in four sets.

Chelsea Phillips led the Saints attack with 16 kills, while Mollie Lounds added 14 and Katie Vander Meer chipped in with 13. Speaking of Katie Vander Meer, she notched another triple double as she also accounted for 45 assists and 13 digs. Sarah LeClair led the Saints with 19 digs.

Aquians returns to action on Tuesday night with a showdown at Indiana Tech. Currently the Warriors are 2-0 in conference play and 6-6 overall.

September 16 -- The race for the top spot in the WHAC standings will be very congested this year as no clear cut favorite has emerged. The 3-1 road victory by the Saints at Madonna will go a long way in making sure Aquinas stays near the front of the impending log jam. The win for the Saints pushes their league mark to 1-0-1 and their overall record to

3-2-1.

Aquinas staked claim to an early 1-0 advantage on Jaime Tomaszewski's header off a free kick by Natalie Walters from 25 yards out. The Saints added to their lead in the 33rd minute as Teresa Buiocchi scored off Tomaszewski's rebounded shot. Madonna added a late first half goal as Lia Melasi snuck one by Saints keeper Kelsey Duley.

With the Saints holding a slim 2-1 advantage, the Buiocchi/Tomaszewski's combination struck again late in second half to add an insurance goal and secure the 3-1 victory. Aquinas received strong net play from Kelsey Duley, who recorded eleven saves on the day.

The Saints return to action on Monday with a non-conference home game versus St. Francis starting at 4 p.m. The Cougars are currently 2-5 on the season.

September 16 -- The men's soccer team passed an early season test today as they defeated the WHAC co-leaders, Concordia, in shutout fashion 4-0. The Saints, who have now won five straight games, are all alone at the top of the WHAC with a 3-0 mark in the league and a 5-1 record overall.

The Saints jumped out to a quick 1-0 advantage as Mike Vaughan scored his first goal of the season off a corner kick by Ruben Ornelas-Luna. The score remained close until the 80th minute when Joey VanGessel's first goal of the season ignited a three goal flurry in an eight minute stretch for the Saints. Brian Himes connected on a header off a corner kick by Ruben Ornelas-Luna, for Himes it was his fourth goal of the season. Freshman Heath Somers added an unassisted goal with less than two minutes to play to finish off the scoring for the Saints. Jesse Guevara-Lehker was credited with the shutout as he stopped all four shots on goal.

The Saints finish their four game home stand with a non-conference match with St. Xavier on Saturday starting at 3 p.m.

September 16 -- The Aquinas College golf team played host to the rest of the WHAC today at The Highlands in Grand Rapids. The fourth jamboree played out very similar to the last few that were contested. The Saints once again found themselves in fifth place, while Cornerstone, Madonna and Davenport were again within strokes of each other at the top of the standings. The Golden Eagles won the event with a total score of 299. Aquinas finished the day with a total of 331 strokes.

The Saints were led by freshman Joel Siegel who shot a 76 for his round; good enough for a sixth place tie overall. Other Saints who rounded out the scorecard were Michael Wolfe (81), Brad Hall (87) and Max Rouse (87).

Aquinas will enjoy a little break before returning to the links on September 28 to compete in a jamboree hosted by Concordia.

September 15 -- The women's volleyball team enters the WHAC portion of their schedule riding a seven game winning streak and has won a total of ten of their first eleven matches. The stakes multiply tonight as Aquinas will travel to Davenport to face off with the Panthers in the WHAC opener for both squads. Davenport is currently sporting a 4-5 record on the year.

GO SAINTS!!!

September 13 -- The men's soccer team delivered a thrilling 3-2 double overtime victory over Siena Heights on Saturday. A large crowd enjoyed a great game on an absolutely beautiful day for soccer. With the victory the Saints push their conference record to 2-0 and their overall record to 4-1.

Siena Heights drew first blood as Doug Dawson scored a goal in the 32nd minute. Aquinas responded early in the second half as Heath Somers (4th goal of season) headed in a lob from Brian McKeough in the 52nd minute. The Saints broke the tie in the 61st minute as Sven Welz (1st goal of season) scored on a laser shot from the top of the box. Aquinas seemed to have the game in hand until a costly error allowed Doug Dawson to score his second goal of the game and more importany tie the game with just over five minutes to play. The battle of the Saints continued into the second overtime when Jeo Pantoja (6th goal of season) scored the game winner in the 104th minute on a picture perfect set up by senior Brian McKeough.

Aquinas will continue its four game home stand with a date with Concordia on Wednesday at 4 p.m. The Cardinals are also 2-0 in league play and sport a 3-1-1 record overall.

September 13 -- The men's golf team completed a busy week by placing fifth at both the WHAC jamborees contested this weekend.

On Friday the Saints played at Noble Hawk Golf Course, Indiana Tech's home course. Cornerstone edged Madonna by one stroke to take home the victory. Aquinas scored (322), 37 shots off the pace. Aquinas was once again led by Brad Hall and Joel Siegel who both shot (79's), good enough to place tied for 17th on the day. Max Rouse and Michael Wolfe (82's) rounded out the scoring for the Saints.

On Saturday, Aquinas traveled to Siena Heights to play at the Lenawee Golf Course in Adrian. For the second day in a row Cornerstone edged the competition by a mere one stroke. The Golden Eagles shot (291) while Madonna and Davenport finished tied for second with a (292). The Saints placed fifth again, but trimmed the deficit to 16 shots behind the jamboree champion. The meet was highlighted by the fine performance of freshman Joel Siegel. Siegel carded a 73 (+2) to place in a tie for seventh place. Brad Hall (77), Max Rouse (78) and Andrew Kish (79) also factored into the scoring for the Saints.

Aquinas will host the WHAC jamboree this week at the Highlands Golf Course on Wednesday starting at 11 a.m.

September 13 -- The women's soccer team kicked off the WHAC portion of their schedule by playing a scoreless, double overtime affair with the Saints from Siena Heights. After 110 minutes the defenses had the last laugh as the ball never found the back of the net for either team. Haley Mancini stopped Aquinas' four shots on goal and for the Saints in net; Kelsey Duley made saves on Siena Heights' six shots on goal.

The Saints will travel to Madonna to play the Crusaders on Wednesday starting at 4 p.m. Aquinas is currently 2-2-1 overall and 0-0-1 in the WHAC.

September 9 -- The men's soccer team defeated Madonna 4-1 to open up league play in the WHAC. The Saints and Crusaders shared last season's WHAC regular season title, with Madonna winning the conference tournament and securing the automatic bid to Nationals. The Saints are now 3-1 on the season and 1-0 in conference play.

Jesse Guevara-Lehker notched the victory in net for the Saints allowing only one goal on nine shots. Freshman Heath Somers starting the scoring for the Saints by recording his third goal on the season. Rueben Ornelas-Luna and Brian McKeough both found the back of the net for the first time this season. While Jeo Pantoja scored his team leading fifth goal of the season.

Aquinas will look to extend its three game winning streak on Saturday with a home contest against Siena Heights at 2:30 p.m.

September 8 -- The men's golf team began WHAC play with a fifth place showing at the first jamboree of the year hosted by Davenport University at Stonewater Country Club. Madonna won the event edging host school Davenport by seven strokes.

The Saints were led by senior Brad Hall and freshman Joel Siegel; both tied for 15th place and carded 76's for the day. Two other freshmen factored into the scoring for the Saints as Max Rouse and Michael Wolfe both recorded 80's for their respective rounds.

The Saints will return to action on Friday as they travel to Fort Wayne to compete in the second WHAC jamboree of the year hosted by Indiana Tech.

September 4 -- The women's volleyball team delivered their third consecutive victory and has now won six of their first seven games to start the season. Last night the Saints defeated Purdue North Central for the second time in the last eight days 3-0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-17). The Saints have been dominant in their six victories winning 18 of 19 sets.

Statistically the Saints were led by Chelsea Phillips and her ten kills. Both Katie Vander Meer (24 assists) and Sarah LeClair (13 digs) provided strong play at their respective positions. The Saints will head to Chicago this weekend to take part in the St. Xavier Volleyball Tournament. Highlighting the trip will be games against St. Ambrose and William Penn, two of the top teams in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

September 4 -- The women's golf team opened the 2009 season with a 3rd place finish at yesterdays WHAC Jamboree hosted by Cornerstone University at Quail Ridge. Madonna won the event; 27 strokes ahead of the Saints.

Freshman Abigail Hagan carded a (85) to finish fourth overall, just two shots off the pace of meet medalist Michelle Hall from Madonna. Also contributing toward Aquinas' team score were Taylor Giesen Bayley (91), Kristin Pike (91) and Anne Hertl (100). The Saints return to the links on Saturday as they travel to Big Rapids to take part in the Ferris State Invitational.

September 2 -- The women's volleyball team opened their home (Forest Hills Northern High School) portion of their schedule with a non-conference game with Rochester College. The Saints made quick work of the Warriors as Aquinas won the match in three games (25-13, 25-8, 25-17).

Aquinas was led by junior middle hitter Mollie Lounds. Lounds was credited with nine kills on fourteen opportunities. The Saints serves were finding the "sweet spot" as Aquinas connected on ten services aces.

The Saints who are know 5-1 on the young season will look to tally another victory on Thursday as they play host to Purdue North Central starting at 7 p.m.

September 2 -- The men's soccer team opened their 2009 season with a trip to Goshen, Indiana to do battle with the Maple Leafs. Goshen College, who already was sporting a 2-1 record on the year, defeated the Saints 2-1.

Goshen's Nick Good started the scoring as he recorded a goal right before the halftime horn. Aquinas responded as freshman Heath Somers, who was assisted by Cody Taplin, scored his first ever goal as a Saint in the 67th minute. The game remained tied until the Maple Leafs Dan Martin connected on the game winning shot in the 74th minute.

The Saints return to action this Friday as they travel to Canton, Ohio to play Walsh University.

August 31 -- The women's volleyball program at Aquinas College seems poised to follow-up their dramatic turnaround in 2008 with an even better product in 2009.

After an opening night victory over Purdue North Central last week; the Saints took the show on the road to Wayne State to take part in the Warrior Invitational over the weekend. Aquinas played four matches in two days and came home with three victories.

Game one on Friday matched the Saints against Slippery Rock. Aquinas won 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-19) thanks in part to the triple double performance turned in by Katie Vander Meer. The Saints captain recorded 10 kills, 37 assists and 19 digs. Sarah LeClair also came up big for the Saints as she notched 31 digs. In game two on Friday the Saints made short work of West Liberty as Aquinas won 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-22). Mollie Lounds and Jessica Curtis paced a balanced attack with 11 kills apiece.

The Saints played host Wayne State in the first game on Saturday and were defeated 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 26-24). Aquinas followed their first loss of the season up with a convincing 3-0 (25-10, 25-21, 25-20) triumph over Urbana. Several key plays were made by a host of Saints enabling Aquinas to finish off the tournament with a 3-1 mark. Both Katie Vander Meer and Sarah LeClair were named to the All-Tournament Team.

No rest for the weary as the Saints look forward to playing six matches in the next six days starting with the home away from home opener at Forest Hills Northern on Tuesday starting at

7 p.m.

July 8 -- Coralyn "Corky" Nyssen has been named an assistant coach with the women's basketball program at Aquinas College.  Nyssen, a standout prep player from Wayland High School and a 3 year varsity starter at Lake Superior State University, most recently was the girl's varsity basketball coach at Hopkins High School.  During her coaching stint at Hopkins, Nyssen led the Vikings to three consecutive district finals. 

Head Coach Linda Nash comments, "I am so excited to be working with Corky.  She is very enthusiastic and we share similar coaching philosophies.  She was a great player and she did an outstanding job coaching at the high school level.  Her teams were fundamentally sound and they played with a lot of heart."