Volleyball Drops Road Tri-Match Against JWU and Simmons to Conclude Regular Season

BOSTON - The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) volleyball team dropped its regular season finale tri-match in Boston to Great Northeast Athletic Conference foes Johnson & Wales University (JWU), 3-0, and hosts Simmons University (Simmons), 3-0, Saturday afternoon. With the results, the Blue Jays conclude the regular season at 7-20 overall and 6-9 in GNAC play while the Wildcats move to 15-12 overall and 12-3 in conference play, and the Sharks move to 21-7 overall and 15-0 in the GNAC. Due to results elsewhere, USJ locked up the No. 9 seed in the upcoming GNAC playoffs.

USJ 0, JWU 3 (13-25, 17-25, 13-25)

• USJ would open the match by taking a narrow 4-3 edge after a kill from freshman outside hitter Shaye Harris (Prospect, Conn.), but the Wildcats responded with a 7-0 run to take a 10-4 lead.
• USJ would pull back within four, 10-6, after a sophomore setter Alexandra Long (East Hartford, Conn.) ace, but JWU established an eight-point lead, 16-8, forcing a USJ timeout.
• Senior outside hitter Shannon Carey (Bayport, N.Y.) notched a kill out of the timeout, but JWU would keep the Blue Jays at bay for the remainder of the set, taking the opener, 25-13.
• The Wildcats took an early lead in the second set, 6-2, forcing a USJ timeout.
• The Blue Jays would fight back within two, 8-6, after two kills from senior middle blocker Victoria Adler (Berlin, Conn.), but a 7-0 JWU stretch saw the Wildcats open up the deficit to 15-6.
• USJ would try and mount a late comeback, using a 5-2 stretch featuring kills from Carey and Harris, to close the gap to 23-16, but JWU secured the final two points, winning the set, 25-17 and taking a 2-0 edge in the match.
• JWU opened the third set on another big run, jumping out to a 12-6 lead.
• An Albert ace and a Carey kill enabled USJ to pull back within four, 14-10, but the Wildcats closed the set on an 11-2 run, winning the set, 25-13, and the match, 3-0.

USJ 0, SIMMONS 3 (15-25, 16-25, 15-25)

• The two teams battle back-and-forth to begin the match, as a senior defensive specialist Katina Nanos (Lebanon, Conn.) ace tied the set at 7-7.
• However, Simmons would open up a six-point lead, 13-7.
• USJ would stay within five, but the Sharks began to pull away, winning the opening set, 25-15.
• The Sharks would jump out of the gates strong in set number two, establishing a 16-6 advantage.
• USJ would respond with a 7-1 run, featuring a pair of aces from Long, to pull back within four, 17-13.
• However, Simmons would not allow USJ to get any closer, taking the second set, 25-16 to open up a 2-0 lead in the match.
• The Sharks began the third set by taking an 11-6 edge, forcing a Blue Jays timeout.
• Back-to-back errors out of the break from Simmons allowed USJ to get back within three, 11-8, but the Sharks responded with a 6-0 run, breaking open a 17-8 edge.
• The deficit ultimately proved too much for USJ to overcome, as the Sharks won the set, 25-15, and the match, 3-0. 

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays begin postseason play, heading to Henniker, N.H., to face No. 8 New England College in the GNAC First Round. First serve against the Pilgrims is slated for 6:00 p.m.

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