St. John’s Defeats Central Connecticut in Five Sets

Friday, August 24

Queens, N.Y. (Carnesecca Arena)

7:00 PM

St. John's University

(2-0)

Central Connecticut

(0-2)

Central Connecticut

St. John's

St. John’s Defeats Central Connecticut in Five Sets

8/24/2018 11:48:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Rastelli posts first career double-double in win against Blue Devils

By: Queens, N.Y.

Box Score

The St. John's volleyball team capped off a perfect first day of the 2018 season, defeating Central Connecticut in five sets (25-18, 20-25, 10-25, 25-23, 15-12).

The Johnnies secured the first set after the two programs battled back and forth to begin play. The score was tied 12 different times in the opening frame before St. John's took a 14-13 lead, maintaining ahead for the remainder of the opening set. The Red Storm prompted a timeout after an ace by Lexie Lobdell made it 16-13.

The Johnnies used a balanced attack with four players posting at least two kills in the opening frame. Rachele Rastelli led the way with five first set kills. She finished the match with her first career double-double posting 23 kills and 14 digs. The Red Storm used a 12-5 run to take the first frame.

The Blue Devils responded with a second set victory despite a late effort by the Red Storm. The frame started much like the first with both teams trading points early. Central Connecticut pulled ahead using a 10-3 run to go up 17-9.

The Johnnies scored the next three points to force a timeout by Central Connecticut and cut the lead to five featuring back-to-back unassisted kills by Erica Di Maulo. The Preseason All-BIG EAST Tournament selection finished with eight kills and added 45 assists.

The Red Storm got as close as 23-20 before the Blue Devils called their final timeout and took the next two points to even the match at one set apiece.

Central Connecticut took the third set, logging 12 kills and hitting a clip of .500. The Johnnies went down 13-2 after a 10-0 run by the Blue Devils. Nia Diaz posted two kills in the set for a career-high in the category with 10.

With their backs against the wall the Red Storm came from behind to take set four. St. John's fell behind early, 6-3, but went on to take the lead following three aces in four plays by Lobdell. The senior set a career-high with six aces in the match, recording four in the fourth frame alone.

The Johnnies took the lead 15-14 before the Blue Devils jumped ahead taking four consecutive points. The Red Storm had a run of its own taking the next five points prompting a timeout by Central Connecticut. The Blue Devils tied it at 22-22 before St. John's took the lead to force a fifth set.

In the decisive fifth set the Red Storm used eight kills from Rastelli to push them past the Blue Devils. Amanda Sanabia paced the Johnnies on defense in that final frame with nine digs while setting a career-best with 30 in the entire match.

St. John's had control for most of the set, trailing only once, 5-4, before going on a 6-3 run to put them on top for good.

The Red Storm will return tomorrow taking on Fordham at 10 a.m. before ending the Jack Kaiser Classic with a match against Eastern Michigan at 4 p.m. at Carnesecca Arena.