St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Xavier
St. John's Drops Road Match to Xavier, 3-1
10/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Box Score (PDF)
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CINCINNATI - Despite another outstanding blocking performance from the St. John's volleyball team, Xavier knocked off the Red Storm on Thursday night at the Cintas Center, 3-1 (19-25, 25-15, 13-25, 18-25).
St. John's (12-11, 3-7 BIG EAST) out blocked its opponent for the 15th time this season and picked up at least 10 total blocks for the 16th time on the year. Leading the charge was Danisha Moss, who continued to be a dominant force up front with her match-high six total blocks. She now ranks eighth all-time in Red Storm volleyball history for most blocks in a season, with 126, and is ninth in career total blocks with 269.
The Westbury, N.Y., native Julia Cast paced the Johnnies offensive with a team-high 12 kills and a .423 attacking percentage. Erica Di Maulo collected a match-high 39 assists and just missed a double-double, as she added a team-high nine digs. Hanna Wagner, a newcomer from Schwerin, Germany, provided spark off the bench with a season-high seven kills and five total blocks. Coming into the match, she posted four kills in limited action the entire season. Classmate Gaia Traballi logged 10 kills to give her 14 matches this season with double-digit kills.
The Johnnies recorded 12 blocks to the Musketeers eight, but Xavier (12-11, 6-4 BIG EAST) hit at a .233 clip and held the Red Storm to a .197 hitting percentage. The Musketeers picked up the only three aces of the match, while St. John's had six service errors. Abbey Bessler carried the Musketeers offensive with a match-high 18 kills.
The first set of the night found the Musketeers up 11-7, leading to a St. John's timeout. The Red Storm then went on an 8-6 run to cut the deficit to two, but Xavier ended the frame winning eight of the next 12 points to win the set, 25-19. Di Maulo controlled the Johnnies offensive with 12 assists in the opening-set.
St. John's and Xavier went back-and-forth in the next frame with the score tied at eight. The Johnnies then picked up steam, going on an 11-4 run led by Wagner, who registered four kills during the run. The Red Storm rolled the rest of the set to a 25-15 triumph to even the match at one set apiece, after hitting at a .435 clip.
The Musketeers turned it around in the next two frames winning each set, wire-to-wire. St. John's was held to a .000 and .093 hitting percentage in the third and fourth set, respectively. In the final set, the Johnnies were down 20-12, before taking six of the next eight points to trail, 22-18. Xavier, however, held off the Red Storm to win the next three points and the match, 3-1.
St. John's will be back on the court in less than 24 hours, when it takes on Butler tomorrow at 6 p.m. at the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse.
