Women's Volleyball | 9/4/2025 2:00:00 PM

COLUMBIA, Ky. – For the second weekend in a row, the Blue Raider volleyball team will travel outside of Kentucky for a weekend tournament consisting of four non-conference matches, including one opponent currently ranked inside the top-25 and another receiving votes.

Last weekend, Lindsey Wilson went 3-1 at the Texas Two Step Tournament, suffering its only defeat to then 11^th-ranked McPherson (Kan.) in five sets. This time around, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Blue Raiders will face off against Trinity Christian (Ill.), Cornerstone (Mich.), Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), and Aquinas (Mich.).

The Trolls of Trinity Christian enter the weekend winless in their first six matches of the season. Even still, they are holding opponents under 0.200 on the attack and have totaled more blocks. Senior Dej'a Williams leads Trinity Christian with 52 kills and 17 blocks.

Cornerstone – receiving votes in the national poll – pulled off a two-set comeback against the Blue Raiders a season ago and have won back-to-back matches to bump its record to 5-2. Sophomore Aubrey Johnson is nearing 100 kills and 100 digs on the year. She has recorded four double-doubles, one of which being a 20-kill, 19-dig effort versus Columbia International (S.C.) on August 23.

Olivet Nazarene picked up its first victory of 2025 in its last match on September 3 – a 3-2 win over Trinity Christian. Junior Naomi Monney-Hori leads the Tigers in total kills and ranks second in digs. She opened the season with 15 kills and 21 digs in a four-set loss to Mount Mercy (Iowa), then turned in 20 kills, 14 digs, and two service aces in her team's lone win.

24^th-ranked Aquinas – who last season went 40-3 en route to a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference tournament championship – recently dropped a pair of five-set decisions to Bethel (Ind.) and Columbia International (S.C.) but rebounded to sweep Siena Heights (Mich.) on September 3. The Saints rank 25^th in the nation in kills, 31^st in total blocks, and 42^nd in hitting percentage.

Lindsey Wilson and Aquinas met only once before on August 31, 1997. In fact, Cornerstone is the only opponent this weekend that the Blue Raiders have challenged more than once in their history.

Trinity Christian and Cornerstone are first up at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. CT, respectively, on Friday, September 5, followed by Olivet Nazarene and Aquinas at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. CT on Saturday, September 6.

Live coverage of the weekend will be provided by Cornerstone and Aquinas.