Volleyball drops Homecoming match to Oral Roberts

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Freshman outside hitter Ellie Gustafson recorded her first career double-double and sophomore outside hitter Kaitlynn Peterson totaled a career high 21 digs as St. Thomas volleyball fell to Oral Roberts in four sets (25-16, 19-25, 21-25, 26-28) Saturday during Homecoming weekend at Schoenecker Arena in St. Paul, Minn.

Gustafson led the Toms with 13 kills along with 19 digs, which tied a career-high, to mark the ninth double-double performance by a Tommie this season. The Golden Eagles totaled 11 blocks against the Tommies as the Purple fall to 4-12 overall and 0-5 in Summit League play.

RECAP
Gustafson opened the match with a service ace and followed quickly with her first kill, tying set one at 2-2. The Toms began a 7-1 run, including kills from Peterson and Morgan Kealy, a block assist by Kealy and sophomore Megan Wetter, and a service ace by sophomore Allie Kopp, to separate for the remainder of the set. The Golden Eagles pulled within two points but the Tommies went on another 7-1 run to take a set-high, nine-point lead, 18-9.

Oral Roberts took the first lead of set two before a kill by Peterson started a quick 4-0 run for the Tommies to take its first lead, 6-4. Both teams traded leads again with junior Libby Mattila recording her first kill of the match to put the Purple ahead, 14-11. ORU scored three straight points to help it eventually pull ahead, 21-17, on two kills, a St. Thomas attack error, a block assist, and a service ace. A kill by junior Lander Friederichs and an ORU attack error brought the Tommies within two, but the Golden Eagles closed the set on a 4-0 run.

The Golden Eagles opened set three on a 4-1 run but the Tommies tied it, 5-5, following three straight kills from Peterson, Gustafson, and freshman Miriam Unongo. ORU and St. Thomas stayed within two points until a block assist from senior Claire Ricard and sophomore Tezra Rudzitis pushed the Toms' lead to three, 13-10. The Tommies controlled the set until the Golden Eagles took a 21-19 lead and scored four of the final five points.

Set four also began on a 4-1 run for ORU that was extended to a 10-6 lead off a service ace. Rudzitis came back with the Tommies' next three points, all kills, to pull back within two. Following an Oral Roberts point, St. Thomas scored four of the next five to tie the set and soon after went on a 4-0 run to take its first lead of the fourth set. Rudzitis's 12th and final kill set up a 19-15 lead before ORU scored six straight points. Facing an ORU set point, Peterson recorded back-to-back kills to push for extra points. Both teams traded scores over the next five points while a block gave the Golden Eagles the win.

TOP TOMMIES
· Freshman Ellie Gustafson led the Tommies with 13 kills on 38 total attacks, marking a .184 hitting percentage. Her 19 digs tied a career high set Aug. 31 against Montana State.
· Sophomore Kaitlynn Peterson's 21 digs more than doubled her previous career high of 10 set Sept. 14 against Central Michigan. She also tied for the team lead with two service aces and added one block assist.
· Sophomore Tezra Rudzitis totaled 12 kills with a .161 hitting percentage and chipped in two block assists. Nine of her 12 kills came over the final two sets.

UP NEXT
St. Thomas continues Summit League play Oct. 12 and 14 with a road and home match. The Purple begin the week Thursday at South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D., before hosting North Dakota State on Oct. 14 in St. Paul.

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-- St. Thomas Athletics --

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Team Stats

Ellie Gustafson

Tezra Rudzitis

Kaitlynn Peterson

Megan Wetter

Players Mentioned

Lander Friederichs

Ellie Gustafson

Morgan Kealy

Allie Kopp

Libby Mattila

Kaitlynn Peterson

Claire Ricard

Tezra Rudzitis

Miriam Unongo

Megan Wetter