Curry Outlasts USJ in Five

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – University of Saint Joseph senior Amanda Dondero (Mastic, N.Y.) had 12 kills and senior Rebecca DiPinto (Burlington, Conn.) had eight, but the USJ volleyball team lost a five-set match to Curry College Thursday at the O'Connell Center.

Curry improved to 9-15 overall; St. Joseph is 8-13.

USJ honored its two seniors, who have both been four-year starters, before the match.

"Amanda has been a great leader and competitor in her four years at USJ," St. Joseph coach Dejshona George said. "She's driven from within and always rises to the challenge. She will be greatly missed. Becca has really blossomed throughout her career at USJ. It's been a pleasure to have her spirit and charisma on the team and we'll miss her very much as well."

Curry took two, one-set leads only to be equaled both times by St. Joseph before taking the fifth. Scores by set were 25-19, 17-25, 30-28, 22-25, 16-14. Very little separated the teams as they played 221 total points with USJ winning 111 and Curry 110.

Ciara Perez (Manchester, Conn.) had a match-high 16 kills to go along with 15 digs for the Blue Jays. Megan Williams (Lakeville, Conn.) had 38 assists and 21 digs for USJ and Emily Vigue (Lebanon, Conn.) had 12 kills and 18 digs.

Nicole Grambley (N. Attleboro, Mass.) had a team-high 16 kills for Curry and Emily Boudreau (Marshfield, Mass.) had 12. Alyssa Keeney (Coventry, Conn.) was the defensive standout of the match, amassing 31 digs. Keeney was particularly effective in the long third set when she had 13 digs.

Behind two kills from Perez and two aces from Justine Walicki (Plainville, Conn.), USJ took a commanding 10-4 lead in the fifth set. The Colonels gradually fought back, but faced a 14-12 deficit and two match points. Curry got one point on a kill from Christina Wallis (Peabody, Mass.) and another on a USJ hitting error to pull even at 14. Boudreau had a kill on the next point and Keeney put away match point.

USJ next plays at Emerson, Sat. October 19 at noon. Curry travels to Wentworth, Wed. Oct. 23 for a 7 p.m. match.