St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Xavier
St. John’s to Host Xavier and BIG EAST Leader No. 15 Creighton
10/27/2022 12:34:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Red Storm hosting two of the top four BIG EAST teams
QUEENS, N.Y. (Oct. 26, 2022) – In a pivotal weekend for St. John's BIG EAST standings, the team hosts two of the top four teams in the conference. The Red Storm opens with the fourth best team in the league Xavier, before hosting the conference leading and nationally-ranked No. 15 Creighton to close the weekend.
Both matches will be streamed on ESPN3 from Carnesecca Arena. The Xavier match will start at 7 p.m. on Friday night. First serve is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday against No. 15 Creighton.
After a 1-1 weekend, the Red Storm enter the weekend in third place in the BIG EAST with a 7-3 record. The Johnnies hold a one game lead over the Musketeers, 6-4. Creighton leads the conference with a perfect 10-0 record with a one match lead on Marquette.
Reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year, Rachele Rastelli is having another highlight season. She ranks in the top three in kills and points in the BIG EAST and in the top 25 in those categories at the national level. Rastelli needs just 23 more kills to pass Jackie Ahlers for second most kills in program history. Ahlers tallied 1,766 kills in four seasons for the Red Storm. The graduate student currently sits at 1,744.
The youth of the team has been a major contributor to the team's success. Sophomores Giorgia Walther and Wiktoria Kowalczyk have gained national attention in their second year in the collegiate ranks. Walther ranks in the top 30 in both total kills and points nationally, as well as second and third in those categories in the BIG EAST. Kowalczyk currently ranks fourth in the nation with 975 total assists, and her 10.92 assists per set ranks second in the BIG EAST. Freshman Magda Stambrowska has helped the Red Storm become one of the best blocking teams in the country. Stambrowska's 95.0 total blocks currently places 41st in the nation, and is sixth best among freshman. Her .350 hitting percentage ranks third in the conference.
The Red Storm is in the top five in the nation in both total assists and total kills. Fueled by Kowalczyk, the Johnnies 1,158 assists ranks fourth in the NCAA. As the only team with two hitters in the top 30 for kills, the Red Storm's 1,237 kills is fifth best in the country. Paced by Stambrowska, the Red Storm's 2.34 blocks leads the conference.
Last weekend, Xavier won a pair of matches on the road against Georgetown and Villanova. The Musketeers rallied against Georgetown to overcome a 2-1 deficit on Friday night. The following night, Xavier needed four sets to take down the Wildcats.
Two Musketeers received BIG EAST weekly honors on Monday. Sophomore Lucia Corsaro was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week and senior Carrigan O'Reilly was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll. On the week, Corsaro recorded 36 digs, four aces and 11 assists. On Friday against Georgetown she tallied a 1.000 receiving percentage. O'Reilly recorded her 27th career double-double with 58 assists and 17 digs against Georgetown.
The Musketeers average a league-best 17.92 digs per set in conference play and are the second best in the BIG EAST with 16.88 overall.
On the offensive attack, Brooklyn Cink leads the team with 240 kills.
Xavier leads the all-time series with St. John's, 10-7. However, St. John's has won the last six meetings including a sweep in Carnesecca Arena last October. The Red Storm have won the last three matches at home.
As the only team in the BIG EAST to not lose a match in conference play this season, Creighton is currently on a 10 match winning streak.
The Blue Jays recorded a pair of sweeps last weekend on the road against Villanova and Georgetown. Neither team was able to hit above .095 against the Blue Jays.
Creighton's Norah Sis earned BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll after ranking second in the conference this weekend averaging 4.67 kills and 5.08 points. On the season, the sophomore paces the conference with 4.01 kills and 4.41 points.
Leading the BIG EAST with wins, Creighton also tops in the conference in three statistical categories: assists (13.26), kills (14.24), and digs (17.00).
Setter, Kendra Walt leads the conference in assists per set (10.93). Keeley Davis is second in service aces per stanza (.42).
Creighton leads the all series with St. John's, 14-3. In the last meeting at Carnesecca Arena, the Red Storm upset the then-ranked No. 16 Creighton, 3-1.
St. John's will bounce back to action quickly with two weekday matches next week. The Red Storm will travel to Orange, N.J. for a Wednesday night match against Seton Hall at 6 p.m. on BEDN on FloSports. Two days later, the Johnnies will host Butler for a 7 p.m. match on Friday night, on ESPN3.
