St. John’s Drops BIG EAST Opener at UConn

Thursday, February 25

Storrs, C.T. (Gampel Pavilion)

6 PM ET

St. John's University

(0-13-2. BE)

University of Connecticut

(1-01-1. BE)

SJU

UCONN

2/25/2021 9:43:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Rachele Rastelli posted a match-high 22 kills in the Johnnies’ four-set loss

By: Jared Anderson

STORRS, Conn. (Feb. 25, 2021) – The St. John's volleyball team fell to UConn in four sets during its BIG EAST opener at Gampel Pavilion on Thursday night.

The Huskies took the first frame, 25-22, before the Johnnies secured a dominate win in the second set, 25-15. UConn narrowly grabbed the third, 25-23, and closed out the match in the fourth, 25-17.

Right-side hitter Rachele Rastelli put down a match-high 22 kills, hitting at a .370 clip. The junior also collected nine digs, two blocks and one service ace. This marked Rastelli's second match with at least 20 or more kills this spring.

Efrosini Alexakou registered her third double-double of the season with 16 kills and 10 digs, as senior setter Tiziana Baumrukova racked up 47 assists. Baumrukova also added 10 digs, one block and one kill.

Sophomore Iliana Rodriguez led the team with 15 digs, while middle blocker Maria Angelica Palacios recorded five kills and four blocks.

UConn (1-1, 1-0 BIG EAST) got off to a hot start in the first set, taking a quick 5-1 lead. St. John's (3-2, 0-1 BIG EAST) responded with a 6-1 run, as a kill from Alexakou put the Red Storm up by one, 7-6. After the Huskies went back on top by two midway through the frame, 12-10, back-to-back kills from Jordan McCalla and Alexakou knotted the score at 12 apiece. The two teams continued to trade points before Alexakou threw down a kill to give St. John's a two-point lead, 22-20. However, UConn answered with a 5-0 run to secure the first set, 25-22.

The Red Storm took a 6-5 lead at the start of the second frame, following a service error from UConn. The Huskies trailed by two after a kill from Courtney Morris, 13-11, but St. John's picked up the next six points to take an eight-point lead, 19-11. After a kill from UConn, 19-12, the Johnnies put together a 4-1 stanza with a kill from Rastelli setting the score at 23-13. The Huskies grabbed the next two points, 23-15, but a pair of kills from Palacios and Alexakou helped St. John's capture the second frame, 25-15.

The Johnnies went out on top by two in the third, 7-5, as a 3-1 run from the Huskies tied up the score, 8-8. After two straight kills from Alexakou gave the Red Storm a two-point lead, 12-10, UConn took the next three points to go back on top by one, 13-12. St. John's refused to let up, responding with a 3-0 run of its own, 15-13. As the set wore on, a kill from Alexakou tied the match, 20-20. However, a 4-1 spurt from the Huskies put UConn at match point, 24-21. The Red Storm cut the deficit to one, 24-23, but a kill from Caylee Parker gave the Huskies the third frame, 25-23, and a 2-1 match lead.

St. John's struggled to find its footing in the fourth set, as UConn took a five-point edge, 7-2. Rastelli put down a kill to bring the Johnnies within three, 8-5, but a 5-1 spurt put the Huskies up by seven, 13-6. Another kill from Rastelli cut the deficit to five late in the set, 20-15. UConn continued to push forward, scoring on four of the next five plays to sit at match point, 24-16. Despite another kill from Rastelli, 24-17, a service error helped the Huskies close out the match, 25-17.

The Red Storm returns to action against UConn tomorrow night at Gampel Pavilion. The match is scheduled to fall underway at 6 p.m.