No. 9 Volleyball Upsets No. 8 NEC on the Road in GNAC First Round

HENNIKER, N.H. – The ninth-seeded University of Saint Joseph (USJ) volleyball team, which made its first GNAC playoff appearance since the 2014 season, secured the program's first postseason win since 2000, upsetting eighth-seeded New England College (NEC), 3-2, in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) First Round Monday night inside Bridges Gym in Henniker, N.H. With the result, the Blue Jays move to 8-20 on the year.

KEY MOMENTS 

• USJ came out of the gates red-hot, taking a 4-0 lead after a kill from senior middle blocker Victoria Adler (Berlin, Conn.), a sophomore setter Alexandra Long (East Hartford, Conn.) ace, and two NEC errors which forced an early Pilgrims timeout.
• NEC put an end to the run, cutting the gap to 4-2, but three straight NEC errors allowed USJ to take a 7-2 edge.
• USJ continued to dominate, picking up kills from senior outside hitter Shannon Carey (Bayport, N.Y.) and senior middle blocker Victoria Isokpehi (Lagos, Nigeria) to extend the lead to six, 10-4, and force another Pilgrims timeout.
• NEC fought back though, using a 6-3 stretch to close the gap to three, 13-10, and force the Blue Jays to call a timeout.
• NEC continued to fight back, taking the lead, 22-21, but a kill from Adler followed by a Pilgrims attack error enabled USJ to win the opening set, 25-23.
• The Pilgrims bounced back to begin the second set, jumping out to a 10-3 lead.
• USJ quickly responded with a 7-3 run, fueled by two points from Carey and a kill by Isokephi, to close the gap to two, 12-10.
• The two sides traded points back-and-forth as freshman outside hitter Shaye Harris (Prospect, Conn.) kept USJ within two late, 22-20.
• However, NEC would not let USJ get any closer, ending the set on a 3-0 stretch to take the set, 25-20, and tie the match at 1-1.
• NEC jumped out to another big lead to begin the third set, 8-1.
• USJ closed the gap to three, 10-7, after a 6-3 run featuring two kills from Isokpehi.
• The Blue Jays maintained a close deficit, pulling within one, 16-15, after a Pilgrims error.
• NEC would not relinquish the lead though, holding on to take the set, 25-20, and a 2-1 edge in the match.
• After a back-and-forth start to the fourth set, USJ broke open a six-point lead, 12-6, following a kill from junior outside hitter Rachel Heaney (Torrington, Conn.).
• USJ continued to roll as the Blue Jays extended the lead to 10, 22-12, following an ace from senior defensive specialist Katina Nanos (Lebanon, Conn.).
• NEC tried to mount a late comeback, but a costly error secured the set for USJ, 25-17, and tied the match at 2-2.
• The Blue Jays carried the momentum into the final set, establishing a quick 5-2 edge after an ace from senior libero Fernanda Ayala Rodriguez (San Juan, Puerto Rico).
• The Pilgrims pulled back within two, but two kills from Adler and a kill from Heaney increased the lead to five, 9-4.
• USJ continued to roll, as Carey secured the final point to seal the set, 15-5, and the victory, 3-2.

NOTES 

• Carey recorded a double-double, notching a team-high 13 kills while recording 15 digs.
• Isokpehi tallied 12 kills, hitting an outstanding .476 percent.
• Adler was a force at the net, tallying five solo blocks and four block assists.
• Nanos paced the defense with a team-high 18 digs.
• The Blue Jays held the Pilgrims to a .065 hitting percentage.
• With the win, USJ cut the gap in the all-time series to 1-2.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays quickly return to the court, heading to top-seeded Simmons University, tomorrow, November 7, for the GNAC Quarterfinals. First serve against the Sharks inside the Holmes Sports Center in Boston is set for 7:00 p.m.

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