St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Denver
Red Storm Sweeps 2010 St. John's Classic
9/4/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
St. Francis Box Score | Denver Box Score | Video Highlights
QUEENS, N.Y. - Junior transfers Anzelika Lukjanska and Brunna Kronbauer both shined as the Red Storm swept the 2010 STJ Classic. Lukjanska was named tournament MVP and Kronbauer was tabbed to the all-tournament team as St. John's improved to 8-1 on the season.
Lukjanska led the Red Storm with 40 kills in the tournament and finished second on the team with 31 digs. The Latvia native recorded a .378 attack percentage and finished the classic with only nine attacking errors in 82 attempts. Kronbauer, the Brazilian outside hitter, also made her presence felt recording 22 kills, 17 digs and five blocks in only 10 sets.
In addition to Lukjanska and Kronbauer, Denver's Kresson Vreeman and Brea Muhle, Manhattan's Diane Strutner, Columbia's Megan Gaughn and St. Francis' Lili Rodriguez were all named to the STJ Classic All-Tournament Team.
In what turned out to be the title match of the STJ Classic, the Red Storm took on first-time opponent Denver in Carnesecca Arena Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers took command of the championship match early in set one, building a 13-6 lead over the Red Storm. St. John's pulled to within, 19-15, but following a Pioneer timeout, Denver went on a 6-3 run to end the set and take a 1-0 lead over STJ.
Thirteen errors by the Pioneers helped guide the Red Storm to a dominating 25-9 victory in set two and level the match at one set apiece.
St. John's used the momentum from the second set and great defense to continue its dominant form in the third set. Led by three Lukjanska kills, STJ took a 9-4 lead early in the third set. Junior captain Darlene Ramdin shined in the third set recording four kills, including the final two to give her squad a 25-12 victory and a 2-1 lead in the match.
Holding a slim 12-11 lead, the Red Storm's Sabina Papala started a 7-1 run for STJ and gave her team a 19-12 advantage in the potential match-winning set. The Pioneers cut the margin to 22-18 but could not force a fifth set as Ramdin smashed home three of the Red Storm's final four kills to win the set, 25-19, and match, 3-1 (18-25, 25-9, 25-12, 25-19), over Denver.
St. John's Diana Banya led the way against local rival St. Francis in the Saturday morning game of the STJ Classic, recording a match-high 14 kills and hitting .423 as the Red Storm swept the Terriers 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-23). Sophomore setter Gabriela Petkova tallied 47 assists in the match as STJ extended its all-time series lead to 5-0 over SFNY.
Along with Lukjanska and Kronbauer, a host of other Red Storm stars stepped up throughout the classic. Banya and Ramdin recorded 30 kills apiece, while junior Paulina Piegza tallied 27 kills of her own. Petkova recorded 152 assists and freshman libero Korina Yee added a team-high 38 digs for the weekend.
The Red Storm returns to action on Wednesday, Sept. 8, when it hosts Hofstra in the ninth annual Queens-Nassau Cup at 7 p.m. in Carnesecca Arena. STJ dropped the Pride 3-1 in 2009.
