Colorado Springs, CO-- St. Thomas volleyball team hit the road to Colorado Springs for a key SCAC matchup against Colorado College, where they battled hard but ultimately fell in straight sets. The Tigers claimed the match 3-0 (20-25, 23-25, 21-25), handing UST just their second loss of the season. The Celts now sit at 12-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play.
The opening set started with Colorado College setting the tone early, jumping out to a 5-0 lead. Errors from the Tigers allowed the Celts to get on the board, cutting the deficit to 5-2. As the nerves settled, UST found its rhythm and tied the match 8-8 through strong blocking and additional Tiger mistakes. The Celts took their first lead at 11-9, but Colorado responded with a momentum-shifting run to go up 17-12. Despite late efforts to rally, St. Thomas dropped the first set 25-20.
In the second set, Colorado continued to carry the momentum with a 10-4 start. UST responded with a kill from Ariana Willis that sparked a rally, narrowing the gap to 12-11. However, a string of Tiger kills extended their lead to 15-11. Back-to-back kills from Alexis Bodunrin and key blocks by Jazilyn Davis and Noor Haydari pushed the Celts back into contention, tying the set at 21-21 before taking a 23-21 lead. But Colorado showed resilience, regaining control late and stealing the set 25-23.
The third set mirrored the second with back-and-forth momentum swings. The Celts tied the score 10-10 and stayed competitive with kills from Haydari, Bodunrin, and Tasmine Maxwell to make it 17-17. UST briefly took the lead at 20-17 on another kill by Bodunrin, but the Tigers once again seized control, going on a late run to close out the match with a 25-21 win.
For the Celts, Alexis Bodunrin led the attack with 12 kills, while Ariana Willis added six and Tasmine Maxwell chipped in four. Mia Medina and Carly Lange combined for three service aces, while Noor Haydari anchored the net with five blocks. Davis and Willis also contributed defensively with three and two blocks, respectively. Setter Jada Stallworth dished out 12 assists, with Medina adding 10. Lange paced the back row with 24 digs, followed by Stallworth with 14 and Medina with 9.
Up Next
The Celts return home to Houston to regroup as they prepare for the SCAC Crossover Tournament. UST will face UDallas on Friday, Oct. 3, at 7 PM. Stay updated with all things Celts Volleyball at www.ustcelts.com and follow @USTAthletics and @ustwvball on Instagram and X.
