St. John’s Sweeps the Field at Iona Invitational with 3-0 Victory Over the Gaels

Saturday, September 12

New Rochelle, NY

6 p.m.

St. John's University

8-2,0-0Big East

Iona

4-5,0-0Metro

Team	1	2	3	Final F
St. John's (NY)	25	25	25	3
Iona	17	7	21	0

VB win over UAB during Lou Carnesecca Invitational

Photo by: Vincent Dusovic

St. John’s Sweeps the Field at Iona Invitational with 3-0 Victory Over the Gaels

9/12/2026 7:59:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Red Storm didn’t lose a set this weekend, going 9-0 over the two-day tournament

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.– The St. John's volleyball team powered past Iona, 3-0, on Saturday evening enroute to sweeping the field at the Iona Invitational. This marks the fourth consecutive sweep for the Johnnies.

This is the first time since the opening weekend of the 2024 season that the Red Storm went undefeated in a tournament when the team won the Red Storm Invitational. The set scores were 25-17, 25-7 and 25-21.

Rashanny Solano Smith was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament for her outstanding performances. The senior was joined by Chloe Bell and Maggie Carcillo to represent the Johnnies on the All-Tournament Team.

St. John's (8-2) more than doubled the kill total of the Gaels (4-5) with 48 as a team. The Red Storm defense stood tall in the tournament finale, collecting 52 digs and 7.0 total blocks.

Carola Tesoro exploded for 21 kills and swung an astounding .645, committing a singular attacking error on the night as the freshman notched her fourth double-double of the season by adding 11 digs. Bell chipped in seven kills of her own. Carcillo paced the offense with 22 assists, and Amanda Caputi dished out 21 of her own. Solano Smith recorded a match-high 15 digs and Teodora Stamenkovic rejected 2.5 shots to lead all players in the contest.

St. John's and Iona went back-and-forth for the opening points, but the Red Storm used an 8-3 spurt to take an 11-7 advantage. The visitors' lead held firm and maintained control for the rest of the frame to take a 25-17 set win.

In the early going of set two, a spectacular diving save by Solano Smith fueled a 15-5 start to the set. St. John's did not let up and took game two by way of a 25-7 decision and a 2-0 match lead.

Frame three began with a 9-3 St. John's run, but Iona refused to go down quietly. The Gaels rallied back as both teams exchanged haymakers in the middle portion of the set at 16-15. The Red Storm powered through and went up by as many as five at 22-17. Once again, the home team responded to cut the lead to two points at 23-21. The Johnnies prevailed to come out on top, 25-21, and secured a weekend sweep with a 3-0 win.

St. John's will now begin the longest homestand of its season, playing the next seven contests within the friendly confines of Carnesecca Arena. The Johnnies will host the 12th Annual Jack Kaiser Volleyball Classic and face off against Penn, Bryant and Rutgers.