St. John’s Falls to Villanova in Four Sets

Wednesday, March 10

Queens, N.Y. (Carnesecca Arena)

5 PM ET

St. John's University

5-3

Villanova University

3-2

Villanova

St. John's

3/10/2021 10:03:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Efrosini Alexakou posted a match-high 21 kills for the Red Storm

By: Jared Anderson

QUEENS, N.Y. (March 10, 2021) – Despite getting off to a hot start in the opening frame of the match, the St. John's volleyball team fell to Villanova in four sets on Wednesday night at Carnesecca Arena.

The Red Storm captured the first set, 25-18, before the Wildcats took the next three frames, 25-22, 25-21, and 25-20.

The Johnnies were without key contributor Klara Mikelova for the fifth straight match due to injury.

Junior outside hitter Efrosini Alexakou posted a match-high 21 kills while adding 13 digs and one block. Alexakou has recorded a double-double in each of her last four matches.

Rachele Rastelli registered 14 kills, four digs, two aces and one block. Rastelli leads the conference with 4.48 kills per set this season.

Senior setter Tiziana Baumrukova sent out 49 assists and collected 11 digs. She also registered two blocks and one kill.

Sophomore libero Iliana Rodriguez notched 17 digs, two aces and two assists for the Red Storm.

St. John's (5-3, 1-2 BIG EAST) got off to a hot start in the opening frame, taking a three-point lead following a kill from Rastelli, 6-3. The Red Storm continued to hold its lead, as a back-to-back kills from Alexakou put the Johnnies on top by four, 12-8. Villanova (3-1, 2-1 BIG EAST) picked up the next two points from attack errors, 12-10. The Johnnies responded with a 5-1 run, as a kill from Jovana Askovic put the team up by six, 17-11. St. John's continued to build upon its lead with a service error from the Wildcats pushing the Johnnies to match point, 24-16. Villanova notched the next two points, 24-18, but a kill from Rastelli gave the Red Storm the first set, 25-18.

The two programs both struggled to take a comfortable lead early in the second, as a kill from Rastelli knotted the score, 5-5. Villanova responded with 4-0 run capped off by a kill from Riley Homer, 9-5. As the set wore on, the Wildcats continued to stay out in front, 15-10. After a kill from Rastelli, 15-11, Villanova went a 5-0 stanza, 20-11. The Wildcats refused to let up, as a kill from Mallory Potts put the team at match point, 24-20. Alexakou put down a pair of kills on the next two plays, 24-22, but a ball handling error helped give Villanova the second, 25-22.

The third set opened up as another tight battle between the two sides with an attack error giving the Wildcats a one-point edge, 9-8. The Red Storm quickly took back the lead with a 4-0 spurt, 12-9. A kill from Rastelli kept the Johnnies out in front, 17-13, before the Wildcats scored the next four points to tie it back up, 17-17. With the score set at 19 apiece, Villanova put together a 5-0 run to sit at match point, 24-19. Maria Angelica Palacios and Eleonora Tosi each collected a kill on the next two plays, 24-21, but a service error gave the Wildcats the third frame, 25-21, and a 2-1 match lead.

Villanova went on top by five to start the fourth, 11-6. After an attack error from St. John's set the score at 12-7, the Johnnies scored the next four points with a pair of kills from Rastelli and a kill from Ariadni Kathariou bringing the Red Storm within one, 12-11. The Wildcats responded with a 4-0 run of their own, 16-11. Villanova established a late six-point lead, 23-17, before a service error and two straight kills from Alexakou helped the Red Storm cut the deficit to three, 23-20. However, two errors helped give the Wildcats the fourth set, 25-20, and a 3-1 match victory.

The Johnnies will return to action this weekend when the Red Storm heads to Seton Hall for a two-match road swing. The Red Storm will square off with the Pirates on Friday and Saturday at 5 p.m.