St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
NOTRE DAME *
No. 23 Volleyball Sweeps Fighting Irish
10/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 28, 2007
QUEENS, N.Y. - The No. 23 Red Storm volleyball team defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 3-0, Sunday afternoon at Carnesecca Arena. The scores of the match were 30-21, 30-24, 30-23. With the win, the Red Storm improved to 24-3 overall (9-1 BIG EAST), while the Fighting Irish fell to 9-12 (5-5 BIG EAST).
Senior LaToya Blunt led the Red Storm offense with a match-high 12 kills and hit .529. Seniors Hui Ping Huang and Wioleta Leszczynska contributed to the victory significantly. Huang had 11 kills, six digs and four total blocks, while Leszczynska recorded 40 assists, five kills and a remarkable seven service aces. Senior Dana DeMayo and juniors Casie Brooks and Valeria Kovaleva each had 10 kills apiece. Junior Lena Yee led all players with 10 digs.
The score was back and forth between the two teams early in game one, until the Red Storm strung together three straight points to make it 12-9. The game remained close, and when the Red Storm grabbed a five point lead at 19-14, Notre Dame used its first time out. After the break, the Irish couldn't break into the lead and the Red Storm, who hit a match-high .594 in the game, battled forth to a 30-21 victory.
Things started of well for the Red Storm in game two, as the team captured the first three points. The Irish answered back with a streak of four points to take the lead, but St. John's then grabbed the next five points for an 8-4 lead and didn't look back. Notre Dame came within one point at 16-15, but was unable to tie it. The Irish used a timeout trailing 19-15, and got the next point, but Blunt put the momentum right back onto St. John's side as she fired down a kill. A kill by Dana DeMayo ended the game, 30-24, and the Red Storm went into the locker room up two games to none.
The Red Storm came out from the ten-minute break and quickly jumped out to a 6-0 lead, thanks in large part to three service aces by Leszczynska, and forced Notre Dame to take a timeout. After the breather, it was more St. John's as the team shot right out to a dominating 16-4 lead. A late rally by the Irish brought them to within three points at 26-23, but the Red Storm picked up the next four points and won the game, 30-23, sweeping the match 3-0.
For the Irish, Justine Stremick had a team-high 11 kills, while Ashley Tarutis registered 22 assists, also a team-high. Megan Dunne led Notre Dame with 8 digs.
The Red Storm continues its homestand next weekend with two more BIG EAST matches. On Saturday, Nov. 3, the team will face off against the Syracuse Orange. St. John's then will conclude its home schedule with a match against the Golden Eagles of Marquette University Sunday, Nov. 4. Both matches are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
