St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Houston Baptist
St. John's Volleyball Defeats Houston Baptist, 3-1
9/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 20, 2008
BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The St. John's volleyball team defeated the Houston Baptist Huskies, 3-1 (25-17, 25-11, 22-25, 25-17), Saturday afternoon in the second day of action at the Courtyard LaGuardia Volleyball Classic, held at Long Island University. With the win, the Red Storm improves to 7-6 on the season, while HBU falls to 10-3.
Leading the Red Storm was senior Casie Brooks as her 14 kills and 14 digs was the match's only double-double. Sophomore Kun Song led all players with 15 kills, while senior Lena Yee registered a match-high 19 digs. Senior Wioleta Leszczysnka recorded match-highs with 54 assists and five blocks. Freshman Darlene Ramdin set a new career-high with 11 kills, and senior Valeria Kovaleva contributed to the win with eight kills and eight digs.
The Huskies scored three points quickly to start the first set and remained ahead until a service ace and a kill by Brooks tied the score at 6-6. On the next play, Song gave the Red Storm its first lead, 7-6, with a put-back kill off an over. STJ continued on a 10-4 run and Houston Baptist used its first timeout at 16-10. After the breather, St. John's pulled out to a 20-12 lead and a kill by Kovaleva ended the set, 25-17. The Red Storm outhit HBU .424 to .088.
The Red Storm built up an 11-3 lead to start the second set and with the score 14-5, Houston Baptist used its first timeout. Back from the quick break, STJ worked the score to 21-9 when the Huskies burnt their second and final timeout. The Red Storm won the second set, 25-11, on a kill by Brooks, and took a 2-0 lead in the match.
HBU came out strong to start the third set, scoring the first three points and forcing STJ to use an early timeout. The Huskies took an 8-4 lead on a service ace and then built the lead to 10-7 on a kill. When another HBU kill made the score, 19-15, St. John's used its second and final timeout. Back in action, Houston Baptist scored its 20th point on a block then made it 21-15 on a Red Storm attack error. When STJ came within one point at 21-20, a kill by the Huskies kept them ahead. HBU would get set-point, 24-21, with a kill, and then ended the set two plays later, 25-22.
STJ grabbed the first four points of the fourth set and would not relinquish the lead. When a service by Kun Song made the score 19-10, the Huskies called their first timeout. After the breather, St. John's held on for the win, 25-17, taking the match 3-1.
Senior Megan Klimitchek tallied 10 kills to lead the Huskies, while freshman Courtney Whittleman had a team-high 12 digs. Junior Natalie Magat led the team with 30 assists and Jolie Grad had four blocks.
St. John's returns to action later today, when the Red Storm square off against the host, LIU Blackbirds, at 5 p.m. In tonight's match, the finale of the Courtyard LaGuardia Volleyball Classic, head coach Joanne Persico-Smith seeks her 300th career win.
