GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. --- The University of St. Francis women's volleyball team used a split of its two matches on Saturday to wrap up its first weekend of play going 3-1 at the Aquinas College (Mich.) Classic.  After dropping a 25-19, 21-25, 25-14, 25-19 decision to Bethel University (Ind.) on Saturday morning, the Saints rallied for a 22-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-17, 15-13 victory over Madonna University (Mich.) in the afternoon.

Desiree Anderson authored a pair of double-doubles on the day to lead the Saints.  She posted 10 kills and 13 digs in the opening match before producing 14 kills and 11 digs in the nightcap. 

Kaylie Sippel and Hannah Pacheco again split the team lead in assists with Sippel topping the chart against Bethel (19 assists) and Pacheco doing the honors (18) against Madonna. 

Other contributors included Gabriela Oliveira (17 kills), Leah Talley (10 aces), Stephanie Woods (14 blocks) and Hannah Monfre with 21 digs in the comeback win.

Match 1: Bethel def. USF 25-19, 21-25, 25-14, 25-19
The Saints used a 6-0 run to wipe out an 11-6 deficit, but Bethel answered right back with the next nine points to go up 20-12 in Set 1.  USF would get within 21-19 before the Pilots closed out the set with four straight points.

A 9-2 run midway through Set 2 gave the Saints a 19-13 lead they would never relinquish.  Woods, Sippel, Peyton Baird and Cadence Wodrich all provided one kill in the burst.

Bethel opened Set 3 with the first nine points and never looked back.  USF would never get closer than five points for the set.

In Set 4, the Saints had 9-3 and 19-16 leads but could not hold them as Bethel closed out the match on a 9-0 run.

Match 2: USF def. Madonna 22-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-17, 15-13
An 8-1 run by Madonna proved to be the difference in Set 1.  The Saints held an 11-10 lead before the surge and USF could only get as close as 21-20 before dropping the opening set.

St. Francis overcame a string of six unanswered points by the Crusaders with seven of the final nine points to even the match at one-all.  Pacheco provided the biggest spark with two aces and a kill in the late rally.

Similar to Set 1, Madonna trailed early (10-7) in Set 3 before taking control with a 13-3 surge.

The Saints finally broke open a tight Set 4 by scoring nine of the final ten markers.  Anderson's two aces and a kill and Oliveira's two kills made the difference.

After Madonna opened Set 5 with the first two points, head coach Cara Currier's club responded with seven of the next eight points.  Ties eventually ensued at 11 and 13 before the Saints gained the final two points to earn the match victory.

Notes: The Saints totaled 27 aces on the day topped by Talley's efforts.  Anderson provided six aces, including four versus Bethel.  Sippel and Woods each had three-assist matches … Abby Lab appeared in her first two matches of the season and contributed 10 assists in the opener and 12 in Match 2 … Lab was one of three Saints to register at least ten assists in the Madonna match.  Pacheco led the way with 18, while Sippel matched Lab with 12 … Nine of Woods' 14 blocks came in the Madonna match … The matchup with Madonna featured 30 ties and 12 lead changes … Aaliyah Montgomery made her Saints debut on Saturday, contributing one block assist … USF opens Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play on Thursday, meeting Indiana University Northwest in Gary at 7 pm.         

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