HOUSTON,TX-- St. Thomas volleyball team defended their home court on Friday afternoon with a commanding 3-0 victory over Minnesota Morris, taking the sets 25-12, 25-15, and 25-20. With the win, the Celts improve to 9-0 on the season.

From the opening whistle, the Celts set the tone. Service aces by Carly Lange and Jada Stallworth, along with early kills from Tasmine Maxwell and Alexis Bodunrin, sparked a quick run that gave UST control in the first set. The Celts kept the pressure on with strong serving, forcing Morris into errors and cruising to a 25-12 win.

The second set followed a similar script. The Celts spread the attack across the front line with Bodunrin, Brooke Barnes, and Madison Baker finishing key points, while the defense held firm at the net with timely blocks. A late service ace by Stallworth sealed the 25-15 set victory.

The third set proved to be the most competitive of the match. Morris jumped out to an early 6-3 advantage before kills from Ariana Willis and Jazilyn Davis brought the Celts back even at 8-8. The two teams continued to trade points until Bodunrin's kill pushed UST ahead 15-13 at the media break. From there, Lange kept the defense steady with key digs that extended rallies, allowing Davis and Willis to capitalize with back-to-back kills for a 20-17 cushion. Morris made one final push to cut the deficit to 22-20, but the Celts responded with a block from Maxwell and Haydari, followed by a closing kill from Davis to secure the 25-20 win and the sweep.

Leading for the Celts were Ariana Willis and Jazilyn Davis. They stepped up with seven kills each, while Bodunrin added six to fuel the attack. The front line was anchored by Maxwell and Noor Haydari, who each recorded five blocks, while Davis added four of her own. Stallworth directed the offense with 13 assists, with Mia Medina and Cailin Brokaw contributing nine and four, respectively. Defensively, Lange was outstanding with 18 digs, while both Madison Baker and Willis chipped in seven digs.

Up Next
With the sweep, the Celts remain undefeated and continue to build momentum heading into their second match of the day at 7 PM inside the JAAC. Stay updated with all things UST Volleyball at www.ustcelts.com or by following @USTAthletics and @ustwvball on Instagram and X.