The bleachers were roaring and the fans went wild as the Aquinas women’s volleyball team defeated Davenport University on Sept. 23 in the program’s first dual-conference win since 2006, marking a new beginning for the women’s volleyball program.

With pure tenacity and heart the Saints held off the Panthers to win the fifth set of the game in a neck to neck battle with a final score of 15-13, which secured the Saint’s victory and improved their overall season record to 7-4.

The Saints started the game with freshmen Jessica Curtis and Sara LeClair, sophomores Katie Vander Meer and Mollie Lounds and veteran senior Kari Carnell. Aquinas snagged the first set in a dominating 25-19 victory, but fell short in the second and third sets and was forced to pull out wins in the final two.

Holding off the Panthers was the Saint’s first WHAC win of the season and was achieved under the leadership and talent of Vander Meer, who is a transfer from Michigan State University, and led the team with an impressive 46 assists in five sets.

After playing at MSU, a Division I school, Vander Meer knew that transferring to Aquinas, a NAIA school, would be a transition, though it was a challenge she was looking for and she seized the opportunity.

“I knew that volleyball was a growing program at Aquinas and the team wanted to make it better, and I wanted to do what I could to contribute,” said Vander Meer.

Head coach David Rawles credits Vander Meer as well as the team’s seven new freshmen as invaluable players who are helping the volleyball team reach a new level of talent, and ultimately a new level of success. In the game against Davenport, Curtis led the team in kills with 14, followed by freshmen Chelsea Phillips and senior Heather Becker respectively.

Not wanting to repeat last year’s disappointing overall season record of 5-29, coach Rawles and his team decided that “New Beginning” would be this season’s team motto.

“It is important to remember the past, but not focus on it, and right now we are focusing on seizing the moment by being the best person you can be today and always looking to improve,” he said.

One of their top team goals is to make it to the conference tournament which is an invitational for the top six conference teams. In their efforts to establish a new beginning, the Saints hope to have a successful season that will contribute to Aquinas College’s running in the All Sports Trophy.

Coach Rawles also mentioned that the student fans at home games have set records for volleyball game attendance, a feat which has not taken place since 1995. The Saints improved their record to 8-4 with a second conference win at Siena Heights on Sept. 25. The next home game is Oct. 2nd against Michigan-Dearborn at 7:00pm. The new beginning has begun.