Main Story

Ave Maria clinched its eighth straight Sun Conference Tournament berth despite losing 3-1 to ranked St. Thomas. The Gyrenes’ 29-27 win in a marathon second set wasn’t enough to turn the match around, but Warner’s loss secured Ave Maria’s postseason spot. Fifth place is still within reach, with the regular-season finale against Webber set to decide the standings.

By the Numbers
  • St. Thomas defeated Ave Maria, 3-1.
  • Ave Maria won the second set, 29-27.
  • The Gyrenes are 9-11 overall and 4-9 in conference play.
  • Elle Malczewski led Ave Maria with 12 kills; Greta Heiney and Mara Delyon added 10 each.
  • Ave Maria has qualified for the Sun Conference Tournament for the eighth consecutive year.
Yes, But

The tournament berth is secured, but Ave Maria’s seeding is not. The Gyrenes are a half-game behind Webber for fifth place, and Webber won their first meeting this season.

State of Play
  • Warner can only tie Ave Maria in the standings, and Ave Maria holds the tiebreaker after sweeping the season series.
  • Ave Maria and Webber meet in the regular-season finale with fifth place at stake.
What’s Next

Ave Maria visits Webber on Saturday, Nov. 7, with first serve at 2 p.m. The match will stream on the Sun Digital Network.

Bottom Line

Ave Maria’s postseason place is safe, but its final regular-season match will determine whether the Gyrenes enter the tournament as the fifth seed.