University of St. Thomas Athletics
Friday, September 8
Chicago, Ill. / McGrath-Phillips Arena
10:00 a.m. Central
2-5,0-0Summit League
3
vs
0
Evansville
4-2,0-0MVC
1
2
3
F
Evansville
22
18
25
0
St. Thomas (MN)
25
25
27
3
Team Stats
Evans
UST
Kills
35
45
Errors
20
12
Attempts
120
124
Hitting %
.125
.266
Points
49.0
62.0
Assists
31
40
Aces
8
7
Blocks
6
10
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
12
Aces
1
Blocks
6
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Players Mentioned
RS
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
OH
/ VolleyballOH/RS
/ VolleyballOH/RS
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ VolleyballMB
/ Volleyball
Tommies sweep Evansville as part of split at DePaul Invite
9/8/2023 8:56:00 PM | Volleyball
CHICAGO -- Sophomores Tezra Rudzitis and Megan Wetter led the Tommies to a 3-0 victory over Evansville University Friday before taking a loss to host DePaul University to begin the DePaul Invitational in Chicago.
Rudzitis totaled 12 kills on the day, with 10 coming from the first match against the Purple Aces of Evansville. Wetter had 12 kills in the first match alone and added another seven in the second match, as well as 11 total block assists for 25.5 points on the day. In the second match, sophomore Kaitlynn Peterson led the Tommies with 12 total points including nine kills, two service aces, and two block assists.
RECAPS
MATCH ONE VS. EVANSVILLE - W, 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 27-25)
The Tommies came out on top to start the match against the Purple Aces with a 25-22 set win. The set featured eight ties with neither team leading by more than four points. The Tommies went on a 7-0 run to make the score 23-20, forcing two Evansville timeouts. This run was made possible by kills from Wetter, and freshmen Ellie Gustafson, Morgan Kealy and Emily Clausen, as well as a block assist by Clausen and Kealy.
The Tommies took a 25-18 win in the second set for their first 2-0 lead of the season. Wetter helped the Tommies to four unanswered points, including three blocks assists and a kill, to grab a 7-5 lead. After five straight points form UE, an Evansville service error and kill from Rudzitis began a 5-0 Tommie run that helped them lead for the remainder of the set. Rudzitis tallied six kills and a solo block to help the Tommies take the set.
Wetter and Rudzitis started set three with a combined six kills to grab an 8-5 lead. Peterson added back-to-back kills to overcome a 12-11 deficit, starting a 4-0 run for the Tommies. St. Thomas led until three straight points by Evansville late in the set, but a kill from sophomore Ava Wild, service ace by Wetter, and a solo block by Wild gave the Tommies their first sweep win of the season.
MATCH TWO VS. DEPAUL - L, 3-0 (21-25, 20-25, 23-25)
Starting out strong, the Tommies took a 5-2 lead with kills from Wetter and Ricard, as well as a block assist by the duo and a service ace from sophomore Ella Voegele. The Blue Demons scored seven of the next eight points and led for the remainder of the opening set.
With a 6-1 run at the beginning of set two by the Blue Demons, the Tommies weren't able to make up the loss. Multiple kills by Peterson, junior Libby Mattila, and Rudzitis kept the Tommies close but wasn't able to keep up with the Blue Demons. Although the Tommies closed the set with six of the final nine points, the Blue Demons prevailed with a 25-20 win.
The Tommies started the third set strong with a 5-1 lead with two kills by Peterson, a service ace by Hunt, and a block by Peterson and Wetter. The Blue Demons came back to tie the score at 11-11 despite multiple errors on their side. Three kills by Peterson helped regain the lead for the Tommies, 17-13. The Blue Demons closed out their win with 12 of the final 18 points in the third set.
TOP TOMMIES
Rudzitis totaled 12 kills on the day, with 10 coming from the first match against the Purple Aces of Evansville. Wetter had 12 kills in the first match alone and added another seven in the second match, as well as 11 total block assists for 25.5 points on the day. In the second match, sophomore Kaitlynn Peterson led the Tommies with 12 total points including nine kills, two service aces, and two block assists.
RECAPS
MATCH ONE VS. EVANSVILLE - W, 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 27-25)
The Tommies came out on top to start the match against the Purple Aces with a 25-22 set win. The set featured eight ties with neither team leading by more than four points. The Tommies went on a 7-0 run to make the score 23-20, forcing two Evansville timeouts. This run was made possible by kills from Wetter, and freshmen Ellie Gustafson, Morgan Kealy and Emily Clausen, as well as a block assist by Clausen and Kealy.
The Tommies took a 25-18 win in the second set for their first 2-0 lead of the season. Wetter helped the Tommies to four unanswered points, including three blocks assists and a kill, to grab a 7-5 lead. After five straight points form UE, an Evansville service error and kill from Rudzitis began a 5-0 Tommie run that helped them lead for the remainder of the set. Rudzitis tallied six kills and a solo block to help the Tommies take the set.
Wetter and Rudzitis started set three with a combined six kills to grab an 8-5 lead. Peterson added back-to-back kills to overcome a 12-11 deficit, starting a 4-0 run for the Tommies. St. Thomas led until three straight points by Evansville late in the set, but a kill from sophomore Ava Wild, service ace by Wetter, and a solo block by Wild gave the Tommies their first sweep win of the season.
MATCH TWO VS. DEPAUL - L, 3-0 (21-25, 20-25, 23-25)
Starting out strong, the Tommies took a 5-2 lead with kills from Wetter and Ricard, as well as a block assist by the duo and a service ace from sophomore Ella Voegele. The Blue Demons scored seven of the next eight points and led for the remainder of the opening set.
With a 6-1 run at the beginning of set two by the Blue Demons, the Tommies weren't able to make up the loss. Multiple kills by Peterson, junior Libby Mattila, and Rudzitis kept the Tommies close but wasn't able to keep up with the Blue Demons. Although the Tommies closed the set with six of the final nine points, the Blue Demons prevailed with a 25-20 win.
The Tommies started the third set strong with a 5-1 lead with two kills by Peterson, a service ace by Hunt, and a block by Peterson and Wetter. The Blue Demons came back to tie the score at 11-11 despite multiple errors on their side. Three kills by Peterson helped regain the lead for the Tommies, 17-13. The Blue Demons closed out their win with 12 of the final 18 points in the third set.
TOP TOMMIES
- Sophomore outside hitter Tezra Rudzitis finished her first match of the season with 10 kills and a .500 hitting percentage, as well as adding a solo block in her first match.
- Sophomore middle blocker Megan Wetter recorded 12 kills and six block assists for 16 points in the first match of the day, leading the Tommies in all three categories. She also added seven kills and five block assists against DePaul.
- Sophomore setter Allie Kopp tallied a carer-high four service aces along with 11 digs.
- Freshman Morgan Kealy achieved her fifth double double of her season with 35 assists and 11 digs in the first match, and added another 23 assists in the second match.
- Sophomore outside hitter Kaitlynn Peterson scored 12 points for the Tommies in the second match with nine kills, two service aces and two block assists to lead the Tommies. She also added seven kills, two block assists and six digs in the first match of the day.
QUOTEABLES
Head Coach Thanh Pham on day one of the DePaul Invitational:
"I'm proud of the effort our team had today. We are continuing to learn more about the game and ourselves. I'm exicited to see how we respond tomorrow against another solid opponent."
UP NEXT
The Tommies finish out the DePaul Invitational on Saturday, September 9 at 12 p.m. against Northern Illinois in Chicago.
FOLLOW ALONG
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JOIN US
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-- St. Thomas Athletics --
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