St. John’s Takes on Binghamton in the First Round of the NIVC

QUEENS, N.Y. (DEC. 1, 2022) – The St. John's volleyball team extended its 2022 campaign with its second bid to the NIVC Tournament. The Johnnies were pitted against the Bearcats of Binghamton in the first round match at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass. First serve is set for 7 p.m. on Friday night, and it will be broadcasted on ACC Xtra.
The NIVC Tournament is an annual 32-team field of teams that just missed out on the NCAA Tournament. Once selected the teams are divided into eight pods of four, with one team the host of the two first round matchups and the second round matchup between the winners. The remaining matches are hosted by a one of the two teams in the match. Each conference receives an automatic for the highest finishing regular season team not in the NCAA Tournament, but not all teams accept, and the rest are filled via at-large bids. This year's edition features 14 teams that accepted its automatic bid and 18 at large teams. Binghamton is the only team in this pod of four to receive an automatic bid.

Much of this season's success can be attributed to the Red Storm's high powered offense. The Red Storm ranks in the top 20 in the country for both kills and assists. Outstanding hitters, Rachele Rastelli and Giorgia Walther, have anchored the Red Storm offensive attack this season. The powerful duo ranks in the top 50 for total kills and points nationally. The pair also ranks in the top four in both categories in the conference. Alongside the hitters, setter Wiktoria Kowalczyk is 13^th in the country and tops the BIG EAST with 1,252 total assists.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Johnnies have become one of the best blocking teams in the nation. The Red Storm is second in the conference with 2.32 blocks per set, and is 37^th in the country with 282.5 total blocks this season. Freshman Magda Stambrowska has led this effort and has worked her way to being one of the best freshman blockers in the conference finishing in the top 6 in both total blocks and blocks per set. The team has also allowed a conference-low 10.84 digs per set.

After winning the America East regular season crown, Binghamton was swept by New Hampshire, the fourth seed of the tournament. The Bearcats hosted all three matches in the tournament which UMBC was victorious and earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament.

The Bearcats and the Red Storm faced three common opponents this season. Binghamton was swept by Boston College and lost in five sets to Georgetown. The only common win was a 3-0 sweep of Columbia. The Red Storm defeated each opponent including two wins over Georgetown.

Binghamton is led by unanimous America East Player of the Year, Tvestlina Ilieva. Ilieva led the league with 4.3 kills and 4.8 points during conference play. Stefana Stan was the other Bearcat to be named to the America East First Team. Stan ranked second with .333 hitting percentage and fourth in the conference with 3.08 kills per set. Binghamton also received three players on the America East Second Team, and two individuals on the All-Rookie Team.

America East coaching staff of the year, Head coach Allie Yaeger is not a stranger to St. John's as she spent the 2012-2021 seasons as the head coach at Seton Hall. During her time with the Pirates coach Persico was 10-9 against coach Yaeger.

Overall in the series, St. John's is 6-2 against Binghamton. On neutral courts, the Red Storm are 5-2 against the Bearcats. The Red Storm have swept the last two meetings including a 3-0 sweep at Cornell in 2017.

The winner of the Binghamton-St. John's match will face the winner of Boston College and Buffalo on Saturday at 4 p.m.

Boston College enters the NIVC after a 19-13 record on the season, and went 7-11 in their ACC slate to finish in the conference.

The Eagles ended the regular season last weekend by getting swept by No. 7 Pittsburgh.

Among five Eagles with 200+ kills, Izzy Clavenna leads the team with 262 kills. Two Eagles lead the team's defensive efforts with at least 1.00 block per set. Kate Brennan has registered 120.0 total blocks in 120 sets, and Julia Haggerty leads the team with 134.0 blocks and 1.17 blocks per set.

BC fell to St. John's at the Jack Kaiser Classic in five sets earlier in the season. Overall, the Red Storm led the all-time series with the Eagles, 10-4 and are 4-3 in Chestnut Hill.

Boston College's opponent in the first round is the Buffalo Bulls. After earning a six seed in the MAC Tournament, the Bulls defeated third-seeded Ohio in four sets. In the semifinals, Buffalo dropped to the second seed and eventual MAC Champions, Bowling Green, 3-0.

Buffalo's sophomore setter Mandy Leigh was the Bulls' lone selection to the All-MAC First Team. Abby Leigh and Courtney Okwara earned second team honors. Katrin Trebichavska leads the team with 314 kills but only hit .113. Abby Leigh paced the Bulls with 122 total blocks and 1.11 blocks per set.

Xavier is the only common opponent between the Bulls and the Johnnies, which Buffalo fell in five sets and the Red Storm lost both matches.

The Bulls and the Red Storm have met seven times in program history, with St. John's victorious in four occasions. Buffalo won the most recent matchup, 3-2 at Cornell in 2018. Buffalo is 2-1 against St. John's on a neutral floor.

St. John’s Takes on Binghamton in the First Round of the NIVC

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Players Mentioned

Wiktoria Kowalczyk

Rachele Rastelli

Giorgia Walther

St. John's University Athletics