St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Connecticut *
No. 22 Red Storm Volleyball Sweeps UConn, 3-0
10/19/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 19, 2007
STORRS, CONN. - The No. 22 St. John's volleyball team defeated UConn, 3-0, Friday night at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. The scores of the match were 30-23, 30-28, and 30-20. With the win, the Red Storm improved to 22-3 overall (7-1 BIG EAST), while the Huskies dropped to 12-9 (3-5 BIG EAST).
Senior Hui Ping Huang led the way for St. John's with a match-high 18 kills and a .643 hitting percentage. Huang also recorded five total blocks, four digs. Also contributing to the win for the Red Storm was senior Wioleta Leszczynska and junior Lena Yee. Leszczynska registered a match-high 43 assists, along with five kills, and eight digs, while Yee matched the match-high 15 digs. Junior Valeria Kovaleva was also a big force for the Red Storm as she contributed 12 digs, nine kills, five total blocks and three service aces.
It was a slow start for the Red Storm in game one, as the Huskies grabbed the first three points, and then built up a 13-9 lead before St. John's used its first timeout. After the break, St. John's fought to within one point at 13-12, then tied it at 15-15 before grabbing its first lead of the game at 17-16 on a kill by Kovaleva. After the next point for St. John's, a kill by senior LaToya Blunt, the Huskies used their first timeout. The Red Storm continued to build on the lead from there, and a kill by Huang ended the game, 30-23. Huang had a game-high eight kills.
Game two saw St. John's jump out to an 8-3 lead and Connecticut called its first timeout. The Huskies grabbed the next two points before senior Dana DeMayo broke the momentum with a kill. The Red Storm remained ahead throughout most of the game until the Huskies tied it late at 27-27. With things tied at 28-28, the Red Storm would go on to take the next to points on a kill by Huang and a big block by Blunt and Kovaleva, ending the game 30-28. St. John's went into the locker room up two games to none.
Leszczynska started game three with a service ace as the Red Storm came out from the locker determined to end the match in three games. St. John's jumped out to a 5-1 lead quickly, and maintained a comfortable lead throughout the game. The team rocketed out to a 23-9 lead. UConn began to climb back, but the deficit was just too much to overcome. A kill by sophomore Ruisa Scheffel ended the game, 30-20, as the Red Storm took the match, 3-0.
For the Huskies, senior Sade Chambers had a team-high 15 kills, while sophomore Bridget Denson-Dorman recorded 35 assists, also a team high. Sophomore Jessica Isaac tied Yee with a match-high 15 digs.
The Red Storm returns home next weekend when the team takes on the Blue Demons of DePaul University, Friday night at 7 p.m. The squad will then match-up against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Sunday at 2 p.m. .
