BOSTON, Mass. – Saint Joseph's College (7-14, 4-2 GNAC) won a pair of games in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) volleyball tri-match at Emmanuel College on Saturday afternoon. The Monks opened with a 3-1 triumph over University of Saint Joseph (7-9, 1-7 GNAC) and capped the day with a 3-2 win over the Saints (6-14, 2-5 GNAC).
Saint Joseph's def. University of Saint Joseph's, 3-1 (26-24, 13-25, 25-11, 25-9)
The middle match began evenly with both sides collecting multiple kills, before USJ took a three point lead with a service ace by Shannon Carey, 17-14, but the Monks battles back to take the first, 26-24.
Unlike the first, the second set was an overall mismatch with USJ taking a demanding ten point lead off of kills by Lauren Pelletier and Hannah Benson, 19-10, and continued to complete the set, 25-13.
The third set was a continuation of the USJ offensive attack, but the Monks turned it around to go on a 12-4 rally as sophomores Olivia Kent (Ellington, Conn.) and Sarah Quinn (Dover, N.H.) controlled the net to take the third, 25-11.
Saint Joseph's of Maine kept their foot on the throttle to close out the match, 3-1, only allowing nine points by the Blue Jays, taking the match 25-9.
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Kent led the Monks with 10 kills and four aces and added eight digs
- Quinn notched seven kills, six total blocks, and five digs
- Junior Erin Olson (Stoughton, Mass.) posted nine kills and six block assists
- Senior Kelsey Bickford (Somersworth, N.H.) registered nine kills
- Freshman Hanna Holden (Stoughton, Mass.) delivered 20 assists and nine digs
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH (CT):
- Benson recorded 14 kills and nine digs
- Carey added 12 kills and 10 digs
- Nyah Young dealt 25 assists with six digs
- Natalia Rabassa contributed 18 digs and two service aces
Saint Joseph's def. Emmanuel, 3-2 (20-25, 25-23, 25-21, 19-25, 15-12)
SJC took a demanding lead in the first set with a quick 8-2 lead as freshman setter Holden began with three service aces, but the Saints came together to tie the set at 13-13 with a pair of kills by Isabella Miller and Elizabeth Syverson. Both squads continued to battle but EC closed out the first with a four-point rally, 25-21.
Emmanuel continued their offense going into the second set, but the Monks kept within five through the middle of the set, 15-10, as Kent led the attack for the Monks. EC continued to hold the lead with kills by Samantha Carrigan (Plaistow, N.H.), but Quinn and Kent went on to combine for four points late in the set to close the second for the Monks, 25-23.
The third set was very similar to the second, with EC holding the lead through 16, before the Monks piled on a quick nine points with kills by Kent and Isabel Philbrick (Milford, N.H), to finish the third up 25-21.
EC needed to take the fourth and was able to do so as Marissa Cataldo, Miller and Alexandra Mezzo combined for nine kills through the set, tying the match up at two apiece, 25-19.
The final set of the afternoon was a nail biter with three early lead changes before the Saints took a 12-9 lead with back-to-back kills from Fenton. The Monks continued to fight and tied the set again at 12-12 with back-to-back kills by Kent. SJC finished the day with another pair of kills by Kent to take two victories on the day, 15-12.
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Kent belted a career-high 17 kills with nine digs and two block assists
- Bickford added nine kills and six aces with three block assists
- Holden boasted 24 assists with three kills, three aces, and seven digs
- Junior Madison Provencher (Rochester, N.H.) picked up 24 digs
LEADERS – EMMANUEL:
- Cataldo produced a double-double with 12 kills and 15 digs
- Miller notched 10 kills with five digs
- Jalen Winfrey was credited with 26 assists and five digs
- Rachel Coleman added 22 assists and six digs
- Carrigan chipped in with 23 digs
- Syverson blasted nine kills
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's returns to conference play on Wednesday with a match at Regis College. Opening serve is slated for 7:00 PM.
THANKS IN LARGE PART TO EMMANUEL COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION