St. John’s Takes Down UConn in Four Sets

Friday, February 26

Storrs, C.T. (Gampel Pavilion)

6 PM ET

St. John's University

(4-2, 1-1BE)

University of Connecticut

(1-2, 1-1BE)

SJU

UCONN

2/26/2021 10:20:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

The Johnnies secured their first BIG EAST win of the season on Friday night

By: Jared Anderson

STORRS, Conn. (Feb. 26, 2021) – Led by two 20-kill performances from Rachele Rastelli and Efrosini Alexakou, the St. John's volleyball team defeated UConn in four sets at Gampel Pavilion on Friday night, securing its first conference win of the season.

The Red Storm grabbed the first set, 25-21, while UConn took the second frame in extra points, 27-25. The Johnnies came back to capture the third, 25-19, before sealing the deal in the fourth, 25-23.

Rastelli racked up a career-high 25 kills in the win, posting a .435 hitting percentage. The junior right-side hitter also added four blocks and three digs. The unanimous Preseason All-BIG EAST Team selection has tallied 20 or more kills in each of St. John's last three matches. Rastelli's 25 kills are the most by a league player this spring.

Alexakou dominated on both sides of the ball, recording her fourth double-double of the season with 20 kills and 17 digs. The junior outside hitter has registered three straight double-doubles for the Red Storm and ranks second in the conference with 3.93 kills per set.

Senior setter Tiziana Baumrukova sent out a match-high 57 helpers while collecting nine digs, two kills and one block. Baumrukova has notched 50 or more assists twice this season. She currently leads the league with 11.07 assists per set.

St. John's (4-2, 1-1 BIG EAST) took an early 6-4 lead in the opening frame before a 3-0 spurt from UConn put the Huskies on top by one, 7-6. UConn (1-2, 1-1 BIG EAST) continued to keep its foot on the gas, extending the deficit to five midway through the set, 14-9. With the Huskies up by four, 16-12, the Red Storm exploded on a 6-0 run to take back the lead, 18-16. A kill from UConn's Caylee Parker kept the Huskies within two down the stretch, 22-20, but a kill from Rastelli capped off a 3-1 stanza to give the Johnnies the first frame, 25-21.

The Red Storm continued to push ahead in the second, as a pair of kills from Rastelli and a rocket from Alexakou gave the Johnnies a 5-1 lead. UConn quickly tied the score back up, 6-6, but a kill from Maria Angelica Palacios and two attack errors kept St. John's out in front, 9-6. After back-to-back kills from Rastelli, 15-12, the Huskies responded with a 4-1 run to tie it up at 16 apiece. The Johnnies worked to extend their lead, 19-17, but UConn remained within striking distance late in the set, 20-19. Despite the Red Storm scoring on four of the next six plays to sit at match point, 24-21, the Huskies went on a 6-1 streak to steal the second frame in extras, 27-25.

The Johnnies took an early lead in the third set following an attack error from UConn, 6-4. A kill from Parker gave the Huskies a one-point edge, 11-10, but a 7-1 run put the Red Storm back up by five, 17-12. St. John's continued to grow the deficit, as kills from Eleonora Tosi and Rastelli set the score at 21-14. UConn made a late push to bring itself within five, 23-18, but Alexakou put down a kill on two of the next three plays to give the Red Storm frame number three, 25-19, and a 2-1 match lead.

The two teams continued to battle it out in the fourth, as a kill from Palacios put the Red Storm on top by two, 7-5. A setter's dump from Baumrukova kept the Johnnies in front, 10-8, but the Huskies scored the next four points to take the lead, 12-10. A kill from UConn's Allie Garland put the St. John's at arm's length, 16-13, but a kill from Alexakou capped off a 5-1 spurt to push the Red Storm back on top, 18-17. Alexakou sent one into the floor to keep the Johnnies' lead late in the frame, 23-21, before the Huskies scored the next two points to knot the score, 23-23. However, a kill from Rastelli and a UConn attack error helped St. John's close out the fourth set and match, 25-23.

The Red Storm will resume conference play against Villanova on March 10, when St. John's welcomes the Wildcats to Carnesecca Arena for a 5 p.m. showdown.