COLUMBIA, Ky. – The Lindsey Wilson women's volleyball team makes its 13
th appearance in the NAIA National Tournament when the Blue Raiders visit Aquinas (Mich.) on Saturday for the Opening Round.
Seeking to advance to the national tournament final site for the first time since the 2020 season, Lindsey Wilson faces a 21
st-ranked Saints team for the second time this year. The two sides met previously in Grand Rapids on September 6 where they needed five sets to determine Aquinas as the victors.
The Saints – 32-5 – are making their fifth national tournament appearance as champions of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference. Senior middle hitter and Wolverine-Hoosier Player of the Year Lauren Chioini leads Aquinas at the net as she averages 3.41 kills per set while hitting 0.351. Her 402 kills and 122 blocks present efficiency on both sides of the net.
Teammate Bella Hommes, a back-to-back Wolverine-Hoosier Libero of the Year, sports a team-high 641 digs and 67 service aces, while Natalie West, the league's Newcomer of the Year, passes out 9.43 assists per set.
As a team, Aquinas leads the nation in total kills and assists and ranks fourth in total blocks. On the other hand, Lindsey Wilson boasts the nation's third-best totals for kills and assists, while also ranking fourth in service aces and ninth in digs.
Since October 29, senior
Ola Wyrzykowska is averaging 4.85 kills and 3.30 digs per set and hitting 0.320.
Marija Raonic has contributed 3.00 kills per set while also hitting plus-0.300.
Luiza Gonçalves' 2025 campaign includes a career-high 1,130 assists, 146 kills, and 60 blocks. The senior setter posted 37.5 assists, 8.5 digs, and 2.5 aces per match during the Mid-South tournament.
Defensively,
Momo Hampton is digging a team-best 3.95 per set over the last six matches, and
Sofija Pjevic is up to 1.07 blocks per set over that same span.
In the regular season meeting, Lindsey Wilson overcame a 2-1 deficit before Aquinas won the fifth set 15-8. The Saints hit 0.200 with three attackers in double digits. The Blue Raiders had a 0.112 clip on offense and were led by Wyrzykowska's 10 kills and 16 digs, plus 10 more kills from
Natalie Wandrie, 41 assists from Gonçalves, and 27 digs from Hampton.
Live coverage of Saturday's match begins at 1 p.m. CT from the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and can be seen live on the Urban Edge Network.
