St. John's University Athletics
St. John's Competes In Spring Tournament At Hofstra
4/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
April 11, 2011
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - The St. John's women's volleyball team picked up wins in seven of eight sets at its second tournament of the spring season this weekend at Hofstra University. The Red Storm swept St. Peter's, Stony Brook and Fordham, and split its match with Columbia to win its respective tournament pool.
The tournament consisted of 12 teams and was broken down into three separate pools, with four teams in each pool and each match consisting of just two sets. Hofstra held the annual spring event to help raise money for The Long Island Breast Cancer Coalition.
The Red Storm, who picked up two wins at Dowling's spring tournament last weekend, opened play against a scrappy Saint Peter's squad. STJ defeated the Peahens 2-0 (25-14, 25-15) to pick up the win as Paulina Piegza and Sabina Papala both hit over .600 in the match. Junior Jordan Haskins added a team-high four blocks in the two-set match.
St. John's freshman Kerri Johnson led the squad to a dominating 2-0 (25-11, 25-16) win over Stony Brook in the second match to improve the Red Storm to 2-0 at the tournament. Johnson hit a personal best .562 with only 1 error on 16 attacks. The Bronx native recorded 10 kills against the Seawolves. Piegza added another stellar performance, recording seven kills and a .700 attacking percentage.
STJ opened its third match of the tournament with a tight 26-24 win over Ivy League affiliate Columbia in the first set, but was defeated by the Lions, 25-19, in the second frame. Junior Darlene Ramdin totaled 12 kills in the match and sophomore Ashley Asing continued her outstanding play in the back row.
The highlight of the day came against a familiar opponent for the Red Storm, as it cruised to a 2-0 (25-9, 25-15) victory over local rival Fordham in its fourth and final match. Johnson led the squad with seven kills, while Papala added five for STJ. Ramdin led the team in blocks for the match, picking up three solo rejections in one frame. Anchored by Asing, Taryn Bohan and Korina Yee, St. John's played great defense to defeat the Rams.
As STJ's only available setter, sophomore Gabriela Petkova, the St. John's court maestro, was also a major contributor throughout the weekend.
St. John's continues its spring season on Saturday, April 16, when it travels to West Point, N.Y., to compete in Army's annual spring tournament. Last season, the Red Storm went 6-2 at the event.
