St. John's University Athletics
Friday, November 18
Queens, N.Y. (Carnesecca Arena)
7 p.m.
St. John's University
vs
Villanova
St. John’s to Close Regular Season at Home Against Villanova and Georgetown
11/17/2022 2:26:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Red Storm’s final two matches before BIG EAST Championships in Omaha
QUEENS, N.Y. (NOV. 17, 2022) – After clinching a bid to the BIG EAST Championships last weekend, the St. John's volleyball team will close the regular season this weekend with matches against Villanova and Georgetown. The Red Storm will open the weekend on Friday night at 7 p.m. against the Wildcats. On Sunday before the 1 p.m. match against Georgetown, the Johnnies will recognize the five players stepping off the court for the final time in their careers. Both matches will be streamed on BEDN on Flo Sports.
After clinching a berth for the BIG EAST Championships last weekend, the Red Storm hopes to bolster their seed for next week. The Johnnies are currently tied for the fifth seed with Butler. If St. John's earns at least one win this weekend, the squad will clinch at least the fifth seed. Two wins and UConn loss, will result with the Johnnies being the fourth seed in the tournament. The tournament will take place November 23 to 26 in Omaha, Neb., with the first quarterfinal starting at 1 p.m. for the fourth and fifth seed match.
One of the continuing storylines this season is the dominance of Rachele Rastelli. Two weekends ago she surpassed Jackie Ahlers for second in program history in kills. Last weekend, the graduate student from Param, Italy tallied three blocks against Xavier for her 94th on the season, a new season-best passing her freshman year's mark of 93. This season Rastelli and Walther are in the top four in the conference and top 35 nationally in kills and points. The duo has led the potent offensive attack to the 15th most kills in the country. A major factor in that is sophomore setter, Wiktoria Kowalczyk. She has been having an outstanding season as well, totaling the seventh most assists in the nation and the most in the league.
The Johnnies are also playing very sound defense this season. The squad has recorded 261.5 total blocks this season, 29th best in the nation. The team paces the conference in total blocks and blocks per set (2.36). Freshman Magda Stambrowska has led the defensive charge with 105 total blocks, and averaging one block per set this season. The freshman alongside junior Eleonora Tosi has been one of the most dominant middle blockers in the country this season.
Villanova won both matches last weekend for the first time this season. The Wildcats took down Butler and Georgetown each in five sets at home. After a tight five set weekday match against Georgetown, the Wildcats dropped the first two sets on Saturday to Butler. The Wildcats overcame the deficit by taking the last three sets to be victorious on senior day.
Kiara Booth leads the Bulldogs with a .351 hitting percentage and is fifth best in the conference. She is tied with Riley Homer for second most kills (274) on the team. Rose Christ leads the team at 281. Andrea Campos ranks in the top 10 for both assists (7.22) and service aces (.31).
Villanova leads the all-time series against St. John's 22-17. The Wildcats won 3-1 in a raucous Jake Nevin Field House earlier this season. The Red Storm have won three of the last four meetings in Carnesecca Arena.
Georgetown was unable to secure a win last weekend facing Villanova and Butler. The Hoyas enter the weekend currently on an eleven match losing streak. Peyton Wilhite led the team with 21 kills and six blocks against the Wildcats. Emma Plutnicki recorded 45 assists and 23 digs in the contest on Thursday night.
Three Hoyas are in the top 10 statistically in the conference Karis Park is fourth in the league with 4.31 digs per set. Emma Plutnicki is seventh in the conference with 8.02 assists per frame. Mary Grace Goyena leads the team with 296 kills, and 3.30 points per set.
St. John's leads the series with Georgetown 25-10. The Red Storm took down the Hoyas in five sets earlier this season at McDonough Arena.
After clinching a berth for the BIG EAST Championships last weekend, the Red Storm hopes to bolster their seed for next week. The Johnnies are currently tied for the fifth seed with Butler. If St. John's earns at least one win this weekend, the squad will clinch at least the fifth seed. Two wins and UConn loss, will result with the Johnnies being the fourth seed in the tournament. The tournament will take place November 23 to 26 in Omaha, Neb., with the first quarterfinal starting at 1 p.m. for the fourth and fifth seed match.
One of the continuing storylines this season is the dominance of Rachele Rastelli. Two weekends ago she surpassed Jackie Ahlers for second in program history in kills. Last weekend, the graduate student from Param, Italy tallied three blocks against Xavier for her 94th on the season, a new season-best passing her freshman year's mark of 93. This season Rastelli and Walther are in the top four in the conference and top 35 nationally in kills and points. The duo has led the potent offensive attack to the 15th most kills in the country. A major factor in that is sophomore setter, Wiktoria Kowalczyk. She has been having an outstanding season as well, totaling the seventh most assists in the nation and the most in the league.
The Johnnies are also playing very sound defense this season. The squad has recorded 261.5 total blocks this season, 29th best in the nation. The team paces the conference in total blocks and blocks per set (2.36). Freshman Magda Stambrowska has led the defensive charge with 105 total blocks, and averaging one block per set this season. The freshman alongside junior Eleonora Tosi has been one of the most dominant middle blockers in the country this season.
Villanova won both matches last weekend for the first time this season. The Wildcats took down Butler and Georgetown each in five sets at home. After a tight five set weekday match against Georgetown, the Wildcats dropped the first two sets on Saturday to Butler. The Wildcats overcame the deficit by taking the last three sets to be victorious on senior day.
Kiara Booth leads the Bulldogs with a .351 hitting percentage and is fifth best in the conference. She is tied with Riley Homer for second most kills (274) on the team. Rose Christ leads the team at 281. Andrea Campos ranks in the top 10 for both assists (7.22) and service aces (.31).
Villanova leads the all-time series against St. John's 22-17. The Wildcats won 3-1 in a raucous Jake Nevin Field House earlier this season. The Red Storm have won three of the last four meetings in Carnesecca Arena.
Georgetown was unable to secure a win last weekend facing Villanova and Butler. The Hoyas enter the weekend currently on an eleven match losing streak. Peyton Wilhite led the team with 21 kills and six blocks against the Wildcats. Emma Plutnicki recorded 45 assists and 23 digs in the contest on Thursday night.
Three Hoyas are in the top 10 statistically in the conference Karis Park is fourth in the league with 4.31 digs per set. Emma Plutnicki is seventh in the conference with 8.02 assists per frame. Mary Grace Goyena leads the team with 296 kills, and 3.30 points per set.
St. John's leads the series with Georgetown 25-10. The Red Storm took down the Hoyas in five sets earlier this season at McDonough Arena.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
RH
/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
MB
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