PORTLAND, Ore. – An undefeated weekend is no easy task in the world of Division II volleyball, much less a weekend without dropping a single set.
 
That's exactly what the Saint Martin's volleyball team achieved in Texas, sweeping four consecutive matches at the Javelina Volleyball Classic on its way to earning GNAC Team of the Week honors on Monday.
 
"As a coaching staff, we are proud of our resiliency, our flexibility on the court and our ability to make adjustments quickly," said Haley Domeck, who is now eight matches into her tenure leading the Saints. "We didn't know a ton about the teams we were playing; what we did know was from a little video from this year and a lot from last year. We talked with the team about being flexible and making changes throughout the match. I'm really proud of the team for playing as a unit. It has been a full team effort, and that has shown in the results. We are playing together as one team."
 
Everything about the 2025 campaign – from SMU's roster to its schedule – is brand new to Domeck, who arrived in Lacey, Wash., this fall after a four-year stint at NCAA Division III Linfield University. After two weeks she has led the squad to a 7-1 record and has already surpassed last year's win total of six. "The student-athletes care so much about one another," Domeck said when asked what has led to the early success. "They are hungry to continue to compete and grow, and to find success both on and off the court."
 
The early results look surprising for a team that went 6-20 and finished ninth in the GNAC at 4-14 in league play last fall. But the Saints are just two seasons removed from a 17-11 record and a fifth-place GNAC finish at 10-8 in conference play in 2023. Domeck gives credit to the six players who were underclassmen in 2023 for sticking out a tumultuous 2024 season and staying with the team this fall. "Through all the changes there wasn't a single player who entered the transfer portal," Domeck said on the roster continuity. "It speaks to me about their love for the school, the athletic department here and one another. For me as coach it is so fun to come into the gym to work with them each day. They are focused, driven, and have a desire to succeed."
 
Last week, Saint Martin's rattled off successive 3-0 wins over Lake Erie College, Southern Arkansas, Bridgeport and Southeastern Oklahoma State. It was a dominant overall team performance, with just two of the 12 sets being decided by fewer than three points and none of the four opponents pushing the Saints to extra points.
 
Leading the way was newly-minted GNAC Offensive Player of the Week Emily Garten, who was unstoppable at the tournament. The junior outside hitter averaged 5.08 kills per set with an attack percentage of .409, reaching double digits in kills in all four matches including a season-high 19 against Bridgeport. Now in her third season with the Saints, Garten leads the GNAC with 4.52 kills per set across the first two weeks of the year. "Emily has great power and passion, and is an athlete who gives her all and comes out swinging," Domeck said. "When we are in a tight set, she's going to go up and not be afraid to take the big swings. She relates well to her teammates and has a great sense of humor. Emily helps bring balance to our team and has an ultra-competitive side as well."
 
Seniors Emmy Hansen and Kingsley Mason give the Saints plenty of options on the attack, averaging 3.40 kills per set and 2.96 kills per set, respectively. Hansen reached double digits in kills in each of the Saints' four matches last week, including tying for the team high with 14 in the win over Lake Erie. In her fourth season on the floor at SMU, Hansen has played in 85 matches and has 714 career kills to her name. "Emmy is an outside with a high volleyball I.Q.," said Domeck. "She can see the block well and work around it, which is huge especially in our conference. Emmy has great ball control in the back row. She has helped to anchor us and provide senior leadership."
Mason, who arrived at SMU last fall as a transfer from Orange Coast College, has reached double digits in kills four times this season and ranks fifth among GNAC players with an attack percentage of .301. Defensively, she ranks second on the team with 1.00 blocks per set. "She is springy, gets up and is so whippy when attacking," Domeck said describing the 5-foot-10 opposite side hitter's athleticism. "She has such a high standard for herself, and when she plays to it good things happen. She has grown as a blocker and it has been fun to see her come into her own."
 
Other key difference makers at the net alongside Mason have been middle blockers Zoey Crimin and Hanna Ligons. Crimin, a 6-foot-3 senior in her fourth year at SMU, has contributed 0.79 blocks per set to go along with 1.46 kills per set and an attack percentage of .359. "Zoey brings a passion to the court and has a really fun energy," Domeck said. "Her attack was strong this week for us and she has been a great senior middle for us in terms of leading the blocking unit. She has really helped us grow as blockers."
 
Ligons is a 6-foot-1 freshman who has had an immediate impact upon being inserted into the SMU lineup. Through the first eight matches of her collegiate career, Ligons leads the team and ranks second among all GNAC players with 1.64 blocks per set. She and setter Sophie Fast, who transferred from Eastern Oregon, are the two Saints newcomers who have started all eight matches. Fast's eponymous start to the season has seen her average a GNAC-best 10.64 assists per set, a figure that ranks her 13th among all players in Division II volleyball. "Hanna has come in and established herself as a strong blocker. She brings passion and fire to the court and has been huge in helping to push her teammates and settle in," said Domeck. "Sophie has done a phenomenal job running our offense and is not afraid to be creative. She brings a lot to the table defensively as well."
 
Wearing the libero jersey for SMU is junior Tiffany Lam, another member of the successful 2023 unit who is now in her third year with the Saints. Lam has averaged a team-best 4.04 digs per set and holds a reception percentage of 95.5 thus far in 2025. "Tiff has been fantastic and is really growing into that libero role," Domeck said. "She has stepped up and made some big time plays for us as libero in the back row."
 
The Saints have been the most efficient GNAC team offensively over the start of the 2025 season, leading the conference in hitting percentage (.264), points per set (18.36), kills per set (14.08) and assists per set (12.84).
 
It's hard to imagine a better start to the 2025 schedule for Domeck's team, which has dropped just 4 of 25 sets across its first eight matches. The success will be put to the test this week with the start of the 18-match GNAC schedule, as the Saints travel down I-5 for a Thursday night (7 p.m. PT) match at Western Oregon (1-7) in Monmouth. After that it's a major road test at Alaska (9-1) on Sept. 25 and Alaska Anchorage (9-1) two nights later. SMU will finally make its 2025 home debut on Oct. 2 against No. 14 Simon Fraser (6-0).
 
"We are continuing to push forward and helping our team stay focused as we move into GNAC play," Domeck said on shifting focus to the Saints' GNAC slate. "As a coach we are structuring practices so we can grow in areas we need to and continue to establish ourselves in areas we are strong in. When we come up with a game plan for a new opponent, as coaches we try to give the team the best scouting report we can, and play to our strengths as a team."