St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Siena
Red Storm Sweeps Siena In Home Opener
9/2/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sep 2, 2013
- Re-watch Live on ESPN3
- VIDEO: Postgame With Palgutova
- VIDEO: Postgame With Coach Persico
- Box Score
- Box Score (PDF)
- Season Stats
- Season Stats (PDF)
QUEENS, N.Y. - St. John's improved to 3-1 on the season with a sweep over Siena in the 2013 home opener on Monday afternoon in Taffner Field House. Siena, which posted a 21-11 record in 2012, dropped to 1-2 on the season. The Red Storm used a superior attacking percentage (.255 to .048) and out-blocked the Saints (6.0 to 4.0) in the straight-set win (25-16, 25-20, 25-20). Sophomore Karin Palgutova led the attack, recording a match-high 15 kills on a .303 hitting percentage, while adding seven digs, a pair of assists and an ace.
Super sophomores Deniz Mutlugil, Shawna-Lei Santos, and Amy Zimmer, led the match in assists, digs, and blocks, respectively. Mutlugil dished out 27 assists and picked up four digs, while Santos collected 15 digs and a pair of kills, and Zimmer recorded five blocks, an ace, and a kill.
Junior Aleksandra Wachowicz posted the second-most kills on the squad with nine. She also added six digs, a team-high two service aces, and a pair of blocks. Her classmate Morgan Thomas came off the bench to contribute five digs and an ace. Senior Kerri Johnson also provided a spark from the pine as she picked up a block and two kills on three attempts.
After jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the match, St. John's had to sustain a Siena rally late in the third set. With an 18-10 Red Storm lead, the Saints collected four-straight points, including back-to-back aces by freshman Haley Howell, to bring the score to 18-14. However, a Siena attack error and kills by Zimmer and junior Ashley Boursiquot put St. John's up, 21-14, and broke the Siena rally apart. Ultimately, it was a kill by Palgutova that finalized the sweep of the Saints.
The Red Storm held senior Taylor Akana - last year's MAAC leader in kills (3.75 per set) - to eight kills on a .000 attacking percentage. Akana entered this season fourth among all Division I student-athletes in kills (1,361).
St. John's now owns a 10-2 all-time record against the Saints and a 5-0 all-time record when playing them at home. Siena has not defeated the Red Storm since Oct. 22, 1994.
UP NEXT
St. John's will travel to Durham, N.H. to play in the Holly Young Invitational, which begins on Friday, Sept. 6. The Red Storm will take on Missouri State on the first day and will play Brown and host school New Hampshire on Saturday, Sept. 7.
