St. John’s Sweeps Villanova, Captures First Place in East Division

Tuesday, March 23

Queens, N.Y. (Carnesecca Arena)

5 PM ET

St. John's University

10-3 (6-2)

Villanova University

4-4 (3-3)

Villanova

St. John's

St. John’s Sweeps Villanova, Captures First Place in East Division

3/23/2021 4:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Johnnies will be the top seed out of the East Division in the 2021 BIG EAST Tournament

By: Jared Anderson

QUEENS, N.Y. (March 23, 2021) – Riding a four-match win streak, the St. John's volleyball team secured a three-set sweep over Villanova on Tuesday night to capture first place the conference's East Division.

Set scores were 25-9, 25-21, and 25-21, all in favor of the Johnnies.

St. John's (10-3, 6-2 BIG EAST) has won its last five league matches while picking up back-to-back straight-set victories against Providence and the Wildcats. The Red Storm will be the top seed in the 2021 BIG EAST Tournament.

Efrosini Alexakou posted a match-high 14 kills and collected eight digs. The junior outside hitter registered a .333 hitting percentage while adding one ace and one block.

Rachele Rastelli racked up 12 kills in the victory, hitting at a .500 clip. Rastelli also notched five digs, two aces and one block.

Ariadni Kathariou put down seven kills on eight attempts for the Red Storm, good enough for a .875 attack percentage.

Senior setter Tiziana Baumrukova dished out 37 assists and four aces, as Iliana Rodriguez reeled in 18 digs.

St. John's dominated throughout the opening frame, as a kill from Rastelli gave the Johnnies a quick three-point lead, 8-5. The Red Storm continued to push forward, capping off a 6-1 run with an ace from Jordan McCalla, 14-6. Villanova (4-4, 3-3 BIG EAST) grabbed the next two points, 14-8, before the Johnnies erupted on an 11-1 stanza to close out the first set, 25-9.

The Red Storm refused to let up in the second, taking an early four-point edge, 8-4. As the set wore on, Villanova cut the deficit to one with a kill from Morgan Belle, 14-13. St. John's responded with a 4-0 spurt to go on top by five, 18-13. After a kill from Maria Angelica Palacios put the Johnnies at set point, 24-18, the Wildcats scored the next three points to make a late push, 24-21. However, Alexakou sent one into the floor on the next play to give the Red Storm the second frame, 25-21, and a 2-0 match lead.

A pair of kills from Alexakou and Rastelli put St. John's up by three in the beginning of the third set, 9-6. After another kill from Rastelli set the score at 12-7, the Wildcats grabbed the next two points to cut the deficit to three, 12-9. The Red Storm responded with a 4-0 run, as an ace from Kathariou put the Johnnies up by seven, 16-9. The two programs continued to battle it out before a kill from Alexakou gave St. John's a late five-point lead, 22-17. Villanova notched the next two points to come within three, 22-19. The two sides traded blows, 23-20, before a kill from Rastelli put the Johnnies at match point, 24-20. Despite the Wildcats earning a kill on the next play, 24-21, Rastelli sent another ball into the hardwood to help the Red Storm capture the third set and match, 25-21.

St. John's will travel to 2021 BIG EAST Championship in Omaha. The Red Storm's opponent will be announced at a later date.