Women's Volleyball Drops GNAC Contest at Emmanuel, 3-1

BOSTON – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) volleyball team battled strong but fell on the road at Emmanuel College (Emmanuel) in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match, 3-1, this evening in Boston. After dropping the opening set, the Blue Jays bounced back, winning set two in convincing fashion. However, the Saints would take the following two sets, defeating the visiting Blue Jays.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: USJ 1, Emmanuel 3 (21-25, 25-13, 22-25, 19-25)
Records: USJ (4-16, 1-6 GNAC), Emmanuel (7-11, 3-4 GNAC)
Location: Jean Yawkey Center (Boston, Mass.)

KEY MOMENTS

• The opening set saw the two sides trade points, playing out to a 6-6 tie to start the match.
• The Blue Jays and saints would continue to battle back and forth, as an Emmanuel error saw the match deadlocked at 13-13.
• Emmanuel would try and break open the lead, taking a 19-16 edge. However, USJ would quickly fight back using a 3-0 stretch to level the score at 19-19. A kill from Shannon Carey (Bayport, N.Y.) followed by back-to-back service aces by Nicole Albert (Meriden, Conn.) evened the score line.
• USJ would take a late lead, 21-20, after an Emmanuel error, but the Saints would use a 5-0 run to take the first set, 25-21.
• The Blue Jays came out strong in the second set, taking an early 3-1 lead following a kill by Hannah Benson (Terryville, Conn.).
• Emmanuel began to fight back, pulling within one, 5-4, but USJ responded with a 4-0 stretch to break the lead back open, 9-4. Fuelling the stretch were a kill from Rachel Heaney (Torrington, Conn.) and an ace by Alexandra Long (East Hartford, Conn.).
• However, the hosts would use a 3-0 stretch of their own to pull within two, 9-7, forcing a USJ timeout. The stretch would not deter the Blue Jays though, exploding for a 6-0 stretch out of the timeout, taking a 15-7 edge.
• The run featured a balanced attack by the Blue Jays, picking up kills from Heaney, Long and Carey, and an ace by Benson.
• Emmanuel would get as close as seven late in the set, 19-12, but it would not be enough to stop the Blue Jays.
• Natalia Rabassa (Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico) would come up clutch, notching two service aces to cap off a 6-1 USJ run, taking the second set for the Blue Jays, 25-15, and tying the match at 1-1.
• Set three was much like the first, as both sides battled to a 5-5 tie in the early stages.
• The Blue Jays would take a two-point lead, 9-7, after an Emmanuel error, but the Saints and Blue Jays continued to trade points, playing out a 13-13 draw.
• Kills from Heaney and Carey would take the lead for USJ, 19-17, before another kill by Carey saw the Blue Jays hold a 21-19 edge late into the set.
• However, Emmanuel would use a 6-1 run of their own to close out the third set, 25-22.
• The Saints would start the fourth set strong, jumping out to a 10-3 lead.
• The Blue Jays would not go down easy though, responding with a 7-1 run of their own to pull within one, 11-10, forcing a Saint timeout. Benson was vital during the stretch, tallying three service aces.
• Out of the timeout, USJ would tie the match at 11-11. Emmanuel though would regain its lead, 16-12.
• Heaney would put an end to the Saints momentum with a kill, while Jezarae Ortega (East Hartford, Conn.) tallied two consecutive kills a few points later, bringing the Blue Jays within three, 18-15.
• Emmanuel would stretch their lead back out to six, 22-16, but a 3-0 run by USJ looked to get the Blue Jays back into the match. Fernanda Ayala Rodriguez (San Juan, Puerto Rico) would tally a service ace of her own in the run as USJ brought the score to 22-19.
• However, Emmanuel would score the final three points, taking the fourth set, 25-19, and the match, 3-1.

NOTES

• Carey paced the offense, tallying a match-high 12 kills on the night.
• Rabassa was a force defensively, racking up a match-high 20 digs.
• It marked the fifth time this season that Rabassa tallied 20+ digs in a match.
• Benson was on fire from the service line, recording a match-high four service aces.
• Emmanuel extended their winning streak against USJ to 12 matches.

UP NEXT

Volleyball returns to the O'Connell Center in West Hartford, Conn., for a GNAC match against Johnson & Wales on Wednesday, October 19th. The match will also serve as the Blue Jays Dig Pink match. First serve against the Wildcats is set for 7:00 p.m.

FOLLOW
For the latest on University of Saint Joseph Athletics, follow the Blue Jays on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Fans can also download the USJ Front Row Mobile App and subscribe to our Newsletter and Text Alerts. #FearTheFlock #GoBlueJays