ST. PAUL-- The Wartburg volleyball team (25-5 overall) advanced in the NCAA Tournament in its 3-2 win (25-22, 21-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-3) over No. 22 St. Thomas (25-7) Thursday. The Knights will face No. 16 Gustavus Friday at 4:30 p.m. The University of Northwestern-St. Paul is the host for this regional.

This marked the first win over the Tommies in the series since 2004.

Photo Gallery

In the fifth set, the Orange and Black opened on a 10-0 run, which included three service aces from freshman Katie Foster (Charles City). As a team, Wartburg hit .583 in the fifth frame alone, and held the Tommies to -.053.

Foster finished with five service aces, which breaks the single-match program record in the NCAA Tournament. The previous mark was four set by Sheena Treanor, against Lake Forest on Nov. 13, 2003.

Senior Aryn Jones (Marion) led all hitters with 19 kills and .342 hitting percentage. Junior Lizzy Blough (Dike) and senior Maddie Miller (Johnston) rounded out the team's leading hitters with 13 and 10 kills, respectively.

Both Miller and Jones attributed this to the team's depth and how opponents can't key in on one specific player to defend, as one of the team's strength is sharing the ball.

Both setters finished with double-doubles as junior Mallary Erbes (Urbandale) had 32 assists and 12 digs, and senior Maria Brown (Peosta) had 17 and 13, respectively.

Post Game Press Conference
 

Wartburg in the NCAA Tournament
Wartburg vs. St. Olaf, 1997, Regionals, W 3-1 (13-15, 15-7, 15-9, 15-12)
Wartburg vs. St. Benedict, 1997, Regionals, L  1-3 (11-15, 15-6, 11-15, 11-15)
Wartburg vs. Neb. Wesleyan, 1998, Regionals, L 2-3 (5-15, 15-13, 15-6, 3-15, 10-15)
Wartburg vs. Washington-St. Louis, 2001, Regionals, L 0-3 (19-30, 21-30, 16-30)
Wartburg vs. Neb. Wesleyan, 2002, Regionals, W 3-2 (22-30, 30-18, 23-30, 30-27, 15-7)
Wartburg vs. Washington- St. Louis, 2002, Regionals, L 0-3 (22-30, 11-30, 22-30)
Wartburg vs. Lake Forest, 2003, Regionals, W 3-1 (30-25, 31-29, 18-30, 30-22)
Wartburg vs. Central, 2003, Regionals, W 3-1 (30-23, 30-24, 20-30, 30-28)
Wartburg vs. Washington-St. Louis, 2003, Regionals, L 2-3 (30-23, 21-30, 25-30, 30-20, 15-17)
Wartburg vs. Wis.-Whitewater, 2010, First-round, 3-0 W (25-17, 25-23, 25-17)
Wartburg vs. Washington-St. Louis, 2010 Regional Semifinals, 1-3 L (23-25, 25-22, 19-25, 14-25)

Wartburg vs. UW-Eau Claire, First-round, L 2-3 (25-21,17-25,25-14,19-25,12-15), 2012 Wartburg vs. UW-Stevens Point, First-round, L 2-3, 25-21,25-21,20-25,21-25,12-15) 2013

Wartburg vs. Saint Benedict, First-round, W, 3-2, (16-25, 26-24, 24-26, 28-26, 15-12), 2015
Wartburg vs. Northwestern MN, Second-round, L 0-3 (22-25, 20-25, 20-25), 2015
Wartburg vs. Gustavus Adolphus, First-round, L 0-3 (25-23,25-15,25-16), 2016
Wartburg vs. St. Thomas, First-round, W 3-2 ((25-22, 21-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-3), 2017