PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Second-seeded Johnson & Wales University (22-7) defeated #3 Saint Joseph's College (27-6), 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-23), in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference Tournament Semifinal on Thursday evening.
THE LEAD
All three sets were closely contested as the Monks held a lead on several occasions in each stanza. In the end, the Wildcats proved to be too much to handle, as the hosts held a 45-33 kills advantage with a .216 team hitting percentage in the tourney tilt.
With the victory, Johnson & Wales University advances to the GNAC Championship match for the 12th time in program history and will face top-seeded Rivier University in a rematch of the 2014 title bout, which was won by the Raiders, 3-1. Rivier has won six GNAC Championships while Johnson & Wales owns five conference crowns.
For the Monks, the loss signals the end of the 2015 campaign and the collegiate careers of the team's five seniors: Alli Hollander (Thermal, Calif.), Cassie Leech (Middleborough, Mass.), Abbie McPhee (Epping, N.H.), Felicia Wachowiak (Milton, N.H.) and Sam Wright (Westport, Mass.).
The 2016 volleyball graduating class has led Saint Joseph's to a 77-48 (.616) overall record, including a 27-18 (.600) mark in conference play, with three GNAC Tournament appearances over the past four seasons. The senior class winning percentage is the third-best in SJC volleyball history and the win total is tied for the fourth-highest since 1989.
GAMEPLAY
All three sets were tight with the difference being the Wildcats' play down the stretch. Tied at 18-18 in the first set, JWU finish the stanza with a 7-1 run that included two kills and two aces by senior Paula Cadavid (Pawtucket, RI). The second set was knotted at 19-19 before Kapustin took over with four kills during a 6-2 Wildcat run to win the set. JWU was down 22-18 in the third set before Kapustin turned it on again, recording four kills and adding a block to put the match away.
The Wildcats played strong defense as they held an advantage over the Monks for digs (77-66) and blocks (5-1).
NOTABLES - Saint Joseph's
- Junior outside hitter Shadai Gosselin (Somersworth, N.H.) notched a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs while posting a solid .290 hitting percentage
- Wachowiak posted 10 kills in 30 opportunities
- Junior outside hitter Victoria Huntley (Ellsworth, Maine) chipped in with nine kills and eight digs
- Junior setter Mariah Hebert (Biddeford, Maine) tallied 26 assists, two service aces and six digs
- McPhee contributed with a pair of aces and 14 digs
- Freshman libero Jennelle Thompson (Farmington, N.H.) chipped in with a match-high 22 digs
NOTABLES - Johnson & Wales
- Kapustin led the way for the hosts with 19 kills, six digs, two aces and a .326 hitting percentage
- Emily Kalmink posted 13 kills, four blocks and a .480 hitting rate
- Kellen Tensen dealt 35 assists with 10 digs and three blocks
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
With the loss, Saint Josephs' falls to 1-12 in the history of the series with Johnson & Wales University, a team the Monks last defeated on September 24th, 2011.
#GOMONKS
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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 474-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
