Volleyball Bests Elms and Mitchell During Senior Day on Saturday

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's volleyball team made its Senior Day one to remember Saturday inside the James A. Calhoun Gymnasium, sweeping its Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tri-match over Elms College and Mitchell College. The Blue Jays battled past Elms in a five-set thriller (25-20, 25-20, 10-25, 20-25, 15-6) before closing the afternoon with a four-set victory against Mitchell (25-18, 25-20, 16-25, 25-22).

Prior to the match, the USJ Department of Athletics honored graduate students Emilia Dugas (Newington, Conn.) and Avery Fitzgerald (Milford, Conn.), along with senior Tatianah Zeigler (Troy, N.Y.). With the results, USJ improved to 6-20 overall and 4-7 in GNAC play.

USJ 3, ELMS 2 (25-20, 25-20, 10-25, 20-25, 15-6)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Blue Jays came out strong in the opening set, jumping ahead 10-6 behind kills from Dugas and junior outside hitter Shaye Harris (Bloomfield, Conn.). The Blazers cut it to 22-19 late, but Fitzgerald delivered a pair of clutch swings to spark a 3-1 run that sealed the set for USJ, 25-20.

• The two sides battled back and forth to start the second set, playing to a 13-13 tie before USJ began to pull away. A late 7-2 run, highlighted by kills from Harris and Ziegler, secured the frame, 25-20.

• Elms responded in the third, jumping out to a 12-6 lead. The Blue Jays trimmed it to 13-9 after a Blazers error, but Elms finished on a 12-1 run to take the set, 25-10.

• The fourth set remained tight early as a 5-0 USJ run—fueled by kills from Fitzgerald and Harris and an ace from Dugas—tied it at 10-10. USJ built a 16-12 advantage behind back-to-back kills from Harris and junior middle blocker Sofia Weiss (Babylon, N.Y.), but Elms answered with a 12-3 surge to close out the set, 25-20, and even the match at 2-2.

• The Blue Jays opened the final frame with authority, racing to a 6-0 lead behind kills from sophomore setter Gabi Wanner (Southington, Conn.), Harris, and a Dugas service ace. Elms tried to rally late but committed costly errors down the stretch, as USJ clinched the set, 15-6, and the match, 3-2.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Harris led all players with 20 kills and added 12 digs for a double-double.

• Dugas posted eight kills and 13 digs, while Fitzgerald contributed seven kills.

• Wanner finished with 36 assists, 14 digs, and two service aces.

• Sophomore libero Alyssa Dugas (Newington, Conn.) tallied a team-high 16 digs.

• Weiss was a force at the net with four block assists.

USJ 3, MITCHELL 1 (25-18, 25-20, 16-25, 25-22)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• USJ carried its momentum into the afternoon's second match, jumping out to an 8-5 lead behind points from Weiss, junior right-side hitter Karla Flores (Oakdale, Conn.), and freshman setter Mara Fernance (Bristol, Conn.).

• The Blue Jays extended their advantage to 14-8 after back-to-back kills from Wanner and Harris, but a 5-0 Mitchell stretch cut it to 16-14. USJ held firm as Fitzgerald and Alyssa Dugas delivered late kills to secure the set, 25-18.

• The teams traded points early in the second set before a 3-0 USJ run, sparked by a Flores kill, gave the Blue Jays a 17-14 lead. Emilia Dugas then notched three kills, while Fitzgerald and Harris added key points to close out the set, 25-20, giving USJ a 2-0 lead.

• Mitchell took control in the third, using a 5-2 stretch to go up 16-11 before closing on a 9-3 run to win the frame, 25-16.

• USJ responded in the fourth, jumping ahead 11-6 following a Ziegler service ace. The Mariners battled back to within two at 19-17, but the Blue Jays stayed composed, and a Harris kill sealed the set, 25-22, and the match, 3-1.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Harris and Fitzgerald paced the offense with 11 kills each.

• Emilia Dugas added nine kills and a team-high 15 digs, while Weiss chipped in eight kills.

• Wanner dished out 36 assists, marking her second straight 30+ assist performance.

• Alyssa Dugas notched 14 digs, reaching double digits in both matches.

• Weiss tallied four block assists for the second consecutive match, and Harris added three block assists.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays return to the road for their final three matches, beginning with a non-conference tilt against intrastate foe WestConn on Wednesday, Nov. 5. Opening serve inside the William A. O'Neill Center in Danbury, Conn., is set for 7 p.m.

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