Red Storm Season Comes to an End in NIVC First Round

Thursday, November 29

Atlanta, GA

4:00 PM

St. John's University

23-12

College of Charleston

22-11

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
St. John's (NY)	25	20	24	18	1
Col. of Charleston	19	25	26	25	3

Red Storm Season Comes to an End in NIVC First Round

11/29/2018 7:55:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

St. John’s falls in four sets to College of Charleston

By: Eric Robinson

Box Score

The St. John's volleyball team fell to College of Charleston in Atlanta in the NIVC First Round on Thursday afternoon in four sets.

This ends a season that saw the program win its most games since 2007, with the Johnnies finishing the season at 23-12.

"The NIVC Tournament was a tremendous experience for our young as we were able to compete against the best teams in the country," Head Coach Joanne Persico said. "It was very encouraging today to be led by our freshmen. Rachele Rastelli and Sheena Yoshioka had career days. I'm also very proud of this team for having an outstanding season and especially thankful to the three seniors for all the hard work they've put in and outstanding contributions they have made to this program."

Rastelli would lead the Johnnies with 17 kills, a mark that would be her highest total since August 25 against Eastern Michigan in the Jack Kaiser Classic, and four service aces, which tied a career-high for the freshman from Parma, Italy.

Efrosini Alexakou would finish right behind her with 16 kills, while adding 13 digs for a double-double for St. John's. Erica Di Maulo led with 43 assists, while Amanda Sanabia finished with 27 digs for the Johnnies.

St. John's took the opener 25-19 behind five kills from Rastelli. Yoshioka added two service aces for the Johnnies and finished the match with those two aces to go alongside five digs. Both teams traded points early as there were six tied scores through the first 18 points of the match.

The Red Storm took control midway through the set using a 5-0 run that extended to a 9-2 run with the score tied at nine. After the Cougars responded by bringing the set within three at 21-18, two kills by Jordan McCalla helped close the deal for St. John's. The sophomore would finish with seven kills on the afternoon.

The Johnnies dropped the second set 25-20 despite five kills from Alexakou. Alexakou, Rastelli, and Ariadni Kathariou put home a combined 11 kills in the frame. Kathariou would finish the match with six kills, two blocks, and a service ace.

St. John's traded points with the Cougars, but failed to spark a rally. The Red Storm were as close as 13-12 in the set, but College of Charleston would score 12 of the next 20 points to even the match at one set apiece.

Sanabia recorded 12 digs in a back-and-forth third set that featured 14 tied scores, with the Red Storm falling 26-24. The Johnnies were able to fend off two set points down 24-22 late before taking the next two to tie the set at 24, the 14th tie of the frame.

The Cougars responded by taking the next two points to take the set. Rastelli put down six of 12 attacks for kills and added two blocks for the Johnnies. She finished the match with a team-leading .324 clip.

The Red Storm found itself in an 18-10 hole in the fourth set before making one final push with a 6-0 run with kills from Wagner and Alexakou and a service ace by Rastelli. With the score at 18-16, the Cougars would on a 4-0 run and finish the match with a 25-18 fourth set.

With the loss, a season that put St. John's in the BIG EAST Semifinals for the first time since 2012 and gave Coach Persico her second BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year award comes to an end.