Volleyball Splits Pair of Matches With Dean and Emmanuel Saturday Afternoon

WEST HARTFORD, Conn.- The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) volleyball team split a pair of matches at home during a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tri-match defeating Dean College (Dean) 3-2, before falling to Emmanuel College (EC) 3-0, Saturday afternoon inside James A. Calhoun Gymnasium in West Hartford, Conn. With the results, the Blue Jays move to 1-12 on the season and 1-3 in GNAC play while the Bulldogs move to 3-10 overall and 2-3 in conference play, and the Saints move to 6-3 overall and 2-0 in GNAC action.

USJ 3, DEAN 2 (22-25, 25-15, 25-22, 19-25, 15-11)

• The first set started closely, as both teams played out a 3-3 tie.
• However, the Bulldogs began to pull away, opening up a five point lead, 11-6.
• USJ would get back within four after a pair of Dean errors, 15-11, but a 4-1 stretch saw the visitors extend the gap to seven, 19-12.
• The Blue Jays would not go down easy, using a 5-1 run that featured kills from freshman outside hitter Shaye Harris (Prospect, Conn.) and senior middle blocker Victoria Adler (Berlin, Conn.) to close the gap to three, 21-18.
• USJ continued the fight back, using a service ace from sophomore setter Alexandra Long (East Hartford, Conn.) to get within one, 23-22, but the Bulldogs scored the final two points, taking the opening set, 25-22.
• The Blue Jays exploded offensively to begin the second set, grabbing an 8-0 lead after stellar serving from senior outside hitter Shannon Carey (Bayport, N.Y.), who tallied three service aces to start the set, and kills from senior libero Fernanda Ayala Rodriguez (San Juan, Puerto Rico) and freshman middle blocker Vivian Pawloski (Wallingford, Conn.).
• USJ extended the gap to 10, 14-4, following two costly Dean errors, but the Bulldogs responded with a 5-0 stretch to cut the deficit to 14-9.
• However, the Blue Jays continued to punish Dean from the service line, as Adler and Ayal Rodriguez notched two service aces each to help USJ establish a 23-13 edge.
• The Blue Jays would not let Dean any closer, as Harris recorded the final point to win the set, 25-15, and tie the match at 1-1.
• Dean would answer back in the third set, jumping out to a 7-2 edge.
• USJ would tie the match back up at 7-7 after a 5-0 run, utilizing service aces from Ayala Rodriguez and kills from Harris and junior outside hitter Rachel Heaney (Torrington, Conn.)
• The set continued to be close until a 5-0 USJ stretch, capped off by a Carey kill, saw the hosts establish a 23-18 edge. Dean woudl try and fight back, but USJ held on to win the set, 25-22, and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
• Dean would go on to win the fourth set, 25-19, forcing an all-deciding fifth set.
• The Bulldogs pulled away early in the set, establishing a 10-8 lead.
• However, USJ would fight back, using a 6-0 stretch, fuelled by three aces from Long to pull within match point, 14-10. Pawloski would secure the final kill two plays later, winning the set for USJ, 15-11, and the match, 3-2.

EMMANUEL 3, USJ 0 (21-25, 11-25, 21-25)

• EC started the match strong, jumping out to a 9-4 edge.
• USJ would fight back though, tying the set at 12-12 after a 6-0 run featuring points from Carey, Quinn, Pawloski and Adler.
• The Saints would take back a three point lead, but the Blue Jays continued to fight back, using back-to-back service aces from Carey to keep the set level at 16-16.
• However, EC would not let USJ gain the advantage, holding on to take the opening set, 25-21.
• The Saints carried the momentum into the second set, jumping out to an earl 5-2 edge.
• USJ would keep within four, 13-9, but the Saints ended the set on a 12-2 run, winning the set 25-11, to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
• The third set started as a back-and-forth affair, with USJ gaining a slight 6-5 edge after a kill from Albert.
• However, the Saints would fight back, utilizing a 7-0 stretch to take a 17-9 lead.
• USJ would pull back within three, 17-14, though, using a 5-0 stretch of their own, featuring kills from freshman middle blocker Sofia Weiss (Babylon, N.Y.) and Harris.
• However, the Saints would hold off the late comeback attempt, winning the final set, 25-21, to take the win, 3-0.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays conclude a five-match homestand by welcome Rivier University to West Hartford on Wednesday, September 27. First serve against the Raiders is set for 6:00 p.m.

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