University of St. Thomas Athletics
Thursday, October 24
Fargo, N.D. / Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse
7:00 p.m. Central
at
North Dakota State
Photo by: George Dannecker
St. Thomas starts second half of Summit schedule at NDSU, UND
10/23/2024 9:33:00 AM | Volleyball
Tommies look to even season series against Bison, sweep Fighting Hawks
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- St. Thomas volleyball is set to hit the road to begin the second half of the Summit League schedule. The Tommies will take on North Dakota State at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24, at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse in Fargo, N.D. They will then face North Dakota at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Betty Engelstad Sioux Center in Grand Forks, N.D.
Live Stats: Thursday at North Dakota State / Saturday at North Dakota
Watch: Summit League Network
Series History
The Tommies and Bison have split the past two meetings, including an NDSU win during the first meeting of the 2024 season. Tezra Rudzitis and Megan Wetter each hit 14 kills including a .565 hitting percentage by Wetter, who finished with just one error and a team high six blocks. Morgan Kealy recorded her ninth double-double of the season at the time, now at 12, with 43 assists and 10 digs.
St. Thomas has seen its greatest Summit League success against North Dakota as the Tommies are 5-3 in the series, including 4-3 since joining the league in 2021. The Purple won the first three matches of the series, that first began in 1979, and are most recently coming off back-to-back wins in the series. During the first meeting of the 2024 season, Lauren Galvin, Ellie Gustafson and Morgan Kealy each recorded a double-double, the second match the trio has done so this season.
Toms On a Roll
St. Thomas volleyball is on a roll with wins in 12 of the last 17 matches and four of the last six, including back-to-back match sweeps at South Dakota and at home against Kansas City Oct. and 5. The Tommies' 12 wins set a new program Division I single-season record and is third most in the Summit League this season. The Purple's four league wins also set a new DI benchmark.
St. Thomas volleyball swept North Dakota (28-26, 28-26, 25-15) Oct. 17 behind double-doubles from Lauren Galvin, Ellie Gustafson, and Morgan Kealy, the second such match this season. Galvin led the team with 14 kills and tied Kealy with 13 digs. The match saw back-and-forth action in the first two sets, including 10 ties and five lead changes in set one, but St. Thomas capitalized on critical errors by UND to close both sets 28-26. The Tommies dominated set three with an early 7-0 run and maintained control to win 25-15.
The Tommies put up a strong fight Oct. 19 but fell in four sets (25-16, 20-25, 20-25, 18-25) against undefeated (RV) South Dakota State at Schoenecker Arena. Ellie Gustafson led the Tommies with 13 kills, while Lauren Galvin recorded her third straight double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs. Despite a dominant first-set win, the Jackrabbits bounced back, improving their hitting percentage in each of the last two sets to remain undefeated. Rudzitis also added 11 kills and surpassed 600 career kills, while Morgan Kealy finished just shy of her fourth straight double-double with 37 assists and nine digs.
Welcome to 2024
Head Coach Thanh Pham leads Tommie Volleyball into action for the 22nd season overall and fourth in NCAA Division I play. Joining Pham on the sidelines is assistant coaches Joy Tietz in her fourth season (14th overall at St. Thomas) and Malissa LeClaire and Kevin Rivas in their third seasons. St. Thomas comes off a 7-20 campaign in 2023, including a 3-13 mark in the Summit League. Both win totals marked the most by the program since joining the DI ranks.
The Purple bring back 18 student-athletes from a season ago and introduce one newcomer in true freshman outside hitter Maddy Benka. Besides Benka and Schmotzer, all 18 Tommie returners saw action in 2023.
Seeing Double-Double(s)
Lauren Galvin, Ellie Gustafson and Morgan Kealy have been productive on both ends of the court while combining for 24 double doubles through 20 St. Thomas matches this season. The trio has also combined for 49 career double-doubles.
Galvin recorded back-to-back double-doubles Sept. 6-7 to close out the Tommie Invitational with 18 kills and 14 digs against Valpo and 15 kills and 10 digs against NIU. She added another with 11 kills and 11 digs during the win at Green Bay before tying a career high 22 kills as part of her 17th career double-double at Denver. She currently has three straight double-doubles.
Kealy is consistently producing double-doubles with 10 over the last 13 matches, dating back to Sept. 7 against Northern Illinois. As part of her double-double Sept. 14 at Milwaukee, Kealy topped the 1,000 career assist mark to become the first Tommie to do so during the DI era. Before being snapped Sept. 28 at UNO, Kealy produced four straight double-doubles with at least 42 assists in each match.
Like Kealy, Gustafson had a three-match streak of double-doubles, recording at least 11 kills in each match for 3.42 kills per set. She recorded a career high 17 digs in the 3-1 win over Chicago State and totaled 15 kills against each Milwaukee and Green Bay before the streak ended Sept. 26 against NDSU. Her team-high 13 kills and 10 digs helped the Tommies to a road sweep over South Dakota for her ninth career double-double.
Meet Us at the Net
Megan Wetter continues to serve as the Tommies' top attack stuffer as she ranks seventh in the Summit League with 1.04 blocks per set. She has led St. Thomas in blocks 12 times and holds the league's fifth-most single-match blocks this season with nine against Valparaiso. Wetter also ranks fourth in the league with a .323 hitting percentage.
At the season-opening CEFCU Invitational, redshirt freshman Addie Schmotzer flashed her potential on the defensive end while leading the team with 11.0 total blocks. She began her collegiate career with six block assists against Southern Indiana, before setting a career high seven at Denver, and has led the Tommies in blocks in 10 matches. Schmotzer ranks 13th in the Summit League with 0.83 blocks per set.
Can You Dig It?
Voegele and the defense of the Tommies has the team near the top nationally in digs, ranking 29th overall and first in the Summit League with 16.68 per set. Voegele ranks tied for 22nd nationally and leads the league with 4.93 digs per set. Her 30 digs against Valparaiso is tied for the most by a player in the Summit League this season. Voegele became the first Tommie in the DI era to record 1,000 career digs, 802 coming in the Purple and Gray, doing so Sept. 7 in a 3-1 win over Northern Illinois,
Lead the Attack
Galvin and Rudzitis have powered the offense through the first 20 matches, both ranking among the top 10 of the Summit League in kills per set. Rudzitis is seventh with 3.12 per set and 11th with 3.39 points per set while Galvin is eighth with 3.11 kills per set and 10th with 3.47 points per set. Rudzitis is also 11th in the league with a .261 hitting percentage and has led the team in kills in eight matches, matching Galvin for the team's most.
Adding to the offensive attack is Wetter who is 18th in the Summit League with 2.40 kills per set and 13th with 3.25 points per set. She has led the Tommies in kills during three matches and has hit over .304 from the floor in eight straight matches.
The First Perfect Non-Conference Tournament
The 2024 Tommie Invitational Volleyball Tournament was a success as the home team came away with a perfect 3-0 record, claiming the tournament title. It's the first tournament title and first three match winning streak during the DI era.
St. Thomas opened its weekend with a sweep over Tarleton State coming off a stellar offensive attack. The Tommies hit .295 on the offensive end with only 11 errors, the best hitting percentage since Oct. 15, 2022, and the fewest errors since Nov. 12, 2022.
The Tommies carried the momentum over to its match against Valparaiso, winning the first two sets. The Beacons came back to win sets three and four but, the Toms made a late surge and scored four of the final five points to win the fifth set.
Galvin and junior Tezra Rudzitis powered the offense and combined for 32 kills to help St. Thomas to a 3-1 win over NIU. Rudzitis tied a career high 17 kills on a .333 hitting percentage.
Summit League Peak Performers of the Week
Senior outside hitter Lauren Galvin and junior defensive specialist/libero Ella Voegele, the St. Thomas Players to Watch as announced by the Summit League in the Preseason Coaches' Poll, became the first Tommie duo to sweep Summit League Peak Performer of the Week honors following its 3-0 weekend at the Tommie Invitational.
Galvin, from Woodbury, Minn., returned to Schoenecker Arena for the first time since Nov. 19, 2022, to earn a spot on the all-tournament team. She led St. Thomas with 4.0 kills per set and 4.5 points per set while hitting .242 from the floor. Galvin recorded two double doubles over the weekend with 18 kills and 14 digs against Valparaiso and 15 kills and 10 digs against NIU. She also totaled 15 kills with no errors for a .417 hitting percentage in a sweep over Tarleton State.
Voegele, hailing from Plymouth, Minn., earned her second career Summit League Defensive Peak Performer of the Week honor after surpassing the 1,000-career dig mark at the Tommie Invitational. She led the Tommies with 5.92 digs per set and recorded the program's second 30-dig match since joining DI, nothing 30 in the 3-2 win over Valpo.
Summit League Network
All home Tommie Volleyball matches, and all Summit League matches, will be streamed exclusively on the Summit League Network, in partnership with Midco Sports. A subscription-based network, viewers can access all St. Thomas athletics events HERE.
Follow Along
For more information on St. Thomas Volleyball, follow along on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram at @tommievball
Join Us
To reserve your seat to be a part of the Tommies' 2024 season, click HERE to view ticketing information and purchase options.
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
Live Stats: Thursday at North Dakota State / Saturday at North Dakota
Watch: Summit League Network
Series History
The Tommies and Bison have split the past two meetings, including an NDSU win during the first meeting of the 2024 season. Tezra Rudzitis and Megan Wetter each hit 14 kills including a .565 hitting percentage by Wetter, who finished with just one error and a team high six blocks. Morgan Kealy recorded her ninth double-double of the season at the time, now at 12, with 43 assists and 10 digs.
St. Thomas has seen its greatest Summit League success against North Dakota as the Tommies are 5-3 in the series, including 4-3 since joining the league in 2021. The Purple won the first three matches of the series, that first began in 1979, and are most recently coming off back-to-back wins in the series. During the first meeting of the 2024 season, Lauren Galvin, Ellie Gustafson and Morgan Kealy each recorded a double-double, the second match the trio has done so this season.
Toms On a Roll
St. Thomas volleyball is on a roll with wins in 12 of the last 17 matches and four of the last six, including back-to-back match sweeps at South Dakota and at home against Kansas City Oct. and 5. The Tommies' 12 wins set a new program Division I single-season record and is third most in the Summit League this season. The Purple's four league wins also set a new DI benchmark.
St. Thomas volleyball swept North Dakota (28-26, 28-26, 25-15) Oct. 17 behind double-doubles from Lauren Galvin, Ellie Gustafson, and Morgan Kealy, the second such match this season. Galvin led the team with 14 kills and tied Kealy with 13 digs. The match saw back-and-forth action in the first two sets, including 10 ties and five lead changes in set one, but St. Thomas capitalized on critical errors by UND to close both sets 28-26. The Tommies dominated set three with an early 7-0 run and maintained control to win 25-15.
The Tommies put up a strong fight Oct. 19 but fell in four sets (25-16, 20-25, 20-25, 18-25) against undefeated (RV) South Dakota State at Schoenecker Arena. Ellie Gustafson led the Tommies with 13 kills, while Lauren Galvin recorded her third straight double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs. Despite a dominant first-set win, the Jackrabbits bounced back, improving their hitting percentage in each of the last two sets to remain undefeated. Rudzitis also added 11 kills and surpassed 600 career kills, while Morgan Kealy finished just shy of her fourth straight double-double with 37 assists and nine digs.
Welcome to 2024
Head Coach Thanh Pham leads Tommie Volleyball into action for the 22nd season overall and fourth in NCAA Division I play. Joining Pham on the sidelines is assistant coaches Joy Tietz in her fourth season (14th overall at St. Thomas) and Malissa LeClaire and Kevin Rivas in their third seasons. St. Thomas comes off a 7-20 campaign in 2023, including a 3-13 mark in the Summit League. Both win totals marked the most by the program since joining the DI ranks.
The Purple bring back 18 student-athletes from a season ago and introduce one newcomer in true freshman outside hitter Maddy Benka. Besides Benka and Schmotzer, all 18 Tommie returners saw action in 2023.
Seeing Double-Double(s)
Lauren Galvin, Ellie Gustafson and Morgan Kealy have been productive on both ends of the court while combining for 24 double doubles through 20 St. Thomas matches this season. The trio has also combined for 49 career double-doubles.
Galvin recorded back-to-back double-doubles Sept. 6-7 to close out the Tommie Invitational with 18 kills and 14 digs against Valpo and 15 kills and 10 digs against NIU. She added another with 11 kills and 11 digs during the win at Green Bay before tying a career high 22 kills as part of her 17th career double-double at Denver. She currently has three straight double-doubles.
Kealy is consistently producing double-doubles with 10 over the last 13 matches, dating back to Sept. 7 against Northern Illinois. As part of her double-double Sept. 14 at Milwaukee, Kealy topped the 1,000 career assist mark to become the first Tommie to do so during the DI era. Before being snapped Sept. 28 at UNO, Kealy produced four straight double-doubles with at least 42 assists in each match.
Like Kealy, Gustafson had a three-match streak of double-doubles, recording at least 11 kills in each match for 3.42 kills per set. She recorded a career high 17 digs in the 3-1 win over Chicago State and totaled 15 kills against each Milwaukee and Green Bay before the streak ended Sept. 26 against NDSU. Her team-high 13 kills and 10 digs helped the Tommies to a road sweep over South Dakota for her ninth career double-double.
Meet Us at the Net
Megan Wetter continues to serve as the Tommies' top attack stuffer as she ranks seventh in the Summit League with 1.04 blocks per set. She has led St. Thomas in blocks 12 times and holds the league's fifth-most single-match blocks this season with nine against Valparaiso. Wetter also ranks fourth in the league with a .323 hitting percentage.
At the season-opening CEFCU Invitational, redshirt freshman Addie Schmotzer flashed her potential on the defensive end while leading the team with 11.0 total blocks. She began her collegiate career with six block assists against Southern Indiana, before setting a career high seven at Denver, and has led the Tommies in blocks in 10 matches. Schmotzer ranks 13th in the Summit League with 0.83 blocks per set.
Can You Dig It?
Voegele and the defense of the Tommies has the team near the top nationally in digs, ranking 29th overall and first in the Summit League with 16.68 per set. Voegele ranks tied for 22nd nationally and leads the league with 4.93 digs per set. Her 30 digs against Valparaiso is tied for the most by a player in the Summit League this season. Voegele became the first Tommie in the DI era to record 1,000 career digs, 802 coming in the Purple and Gray, doing so Sept. 7 in a 3-1 win over Northern Illinois,
Lead the Attack
Galvin and Rudzitis have powered the offense through the first 20 matches, both ranking among the top 10 of the Summit League in kills per set. Rudzitis is seventh with 3.12 per set and 11th with 3.39 points per set while Galvin is eighth with 3.11 kills per set and 10th with 3.47 points per set. Rudzitis is also 11th in the league with a .261 hitting percentage and has led the team in kills in eight matches, matching Galvin for the team's most.
Adding to the offensive attack is Wetter who is 18th in the Summit League with 2.40 kills per set and 13th with 3.25 points per set. She has led the Tommies in kills during three matches and has hit over .304 from the floor in eight straight matches.
The First Perfect Non-Conference Tournament
The 2024 Tommie Invitational Volleyball Tournament was a success as the home team came away with a perfect 3-0 record, claiming the tournament title. It's the first tournament title and first three match winning streak during the DI era.
St. Thomas opened its weekend with a sweep over Tarleton State coming off a stellar offensive attack. The Tommies hit .295 on the offensive end with only 11 errors, the best hitting percentage since Oct. 15, 2022, and the fewest errors since Nov. 12, 2022.
The Tommies carried the momentum over to its match against Valparaiso, winning the first two sets. The Beacons came back to win sets three and four but, the Toms made a late surge and scored four of the final five points to win the fifth set.
Galvin and junior Tezra Rudzitis powered the offense and combined for 32 kills to help St. Thomas to a 3-1 win over NIU. Rudzitis tied a career high 17 kills on a .333 hitting percentage.
Summit League Peak Performers of the Week
Senior outside hitter Lauren Galvin and junior defensive specialist/libero Ella Voegele, the St. Thomas Players to Watch as announced by the Summit League in the Preseason Coaches' Poll, became the first Tommie duo to sweep Summit League Peak Performer of the Week honors following its 3-0 weekend at the Tommie Invitational.
Galvin, from Woodbury, Minn., returned to Schoenecker Arena for the first time since Nov. 19, 2022, to earn a spot on the all-tournament team. She led St. Thomas with 4.0 kills per set and 4.5 points per set while hitting .242 from the floor. Galvin recorded two double doubles over the weekend with 18 kills and 14 digs against Valparaiso and 15 kills and 10 digs against NIU. She also totaled 15 kills with no errors for a .417 hitting percentage in a sweep over Tarleton State.
Voegele, hailing from Plymouth, Minn., earned her second career Summit League Defensive Peak Performer of the Week honor after surpassing the 1,000-career dig mark at the Tommie Invitational. She led the Tommies with 5.92 digs per set and recorded the program's second 30-dig match since joining DI, nothing 30 in the 3-2 win over Valpo.
Summit League Network
All home Tommie Volleyball matches, and all Summit League matches, will be streamed exclusively on the Summit League Network, in partnership with Midco Sports. A subscription-based network, viewers can access all St. Thomas athletics events HERE.
Follow Along
For more information on St. Thomas Volleyball, follow along on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram at @tommievball
Join Us
To reserve your seat to be a part of the Tommies' 2024 season, click HERE to view ticketing information and purchase options.
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
Players Mentioned
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