St. John's University Athletics
Friday, September 18
Queens, N.Y.
1 p.m.
St. John's University
9-2,0-0Big East
3
vs
1
Penn
6-2,0-0Ivy League
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn | 19 | 18 | 25 | 15 | 1 |
| St. John's (NY) | 25 | 25 | 18 | 25 | 3 |
St. John’s Opens 12th Annual Jack Kaiser Volleyball Classic With 3-1 Win Over Penn
9/18/2026 4:28:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Red Storm collect its fifth straight victory
QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's volleyball began the 12th Annual Jack Kaiser Volleyball Classic with a 3-1 victory over Penn during a defensive slugfest in Carnesecca Arena on Friday afternoon. This marks the fifth consecutive win for the Johnnies. The last time the team won five matches in a row was in 2024, when they won six straight.
It was an action-packed contest in Queens, featuring long rallies with neither side willing to give any headway. In the end, the Red Storm (9-2) were able to outlast the Quakers (6-2). The set scores were 25-19, 25-18, 18-25 and 25-15.
St. John's recorded a season-high 83 digs, behind a career-best 41-dig outburst from libero Rashanny Solano Smith. Two Johnnies recorded double-doubles, as Carola Tesoro fired 16 kills and notched 16 digs, while Amanda Caputi dished out a season-best 38 helpers to go along with 12 digs. Eight St. John's players tallied kills in the match.
Lejla Hadziredzepovic also chipped in 16 kills. Tesoro added a match- and career-best four service aces. At the net, Hadziredzepovic and Teodora Stamenkovic swatted 2.0 total shots each, followed by Chloe Bell's 1.5 total rejections, at the team tallied 8.0 total blocks.
The opening set featured long rallies to start the match, with St. John's taking a 4-0 lead. The Quakers fought back and took a brief lead at 7-6, but the Johnnies regrouped as another back-and-forth ensued to 11-11. The Red Storm went up by a pair and held the advantage to 20-18. In the end, the home team ended the set on a 5-1 run for a 25-19 final score.
Game two was tight from the beginning, featuring 11 tied scores and four lead changes as neither team gave an inch to the media timeout, with St. John's holding a 15-14 lead. The Red Storm carried the momentum and pushed to the red zone with a four-point cushion at 20-16. St. John's powered through late to take the game, 25-18, and a 2-0 match lead.
The Quakers took control early in the third frame, going up 7-3. Penn's offense continued to march on to a 14-6 advantage in the middle portion of the set, and its lead bubbled to as many as eight at 21-13. St. John's tried to make a comeback, but Penn held firm to take the set, 25-18.
Despite Penn taking a 3-1 lead to start, the Johnnies' offense engineered a 5-1 run to take the lead at 6-4. From there, the home team found its groove and used a 10-1 spurt to go up 19-9. The Red Storm held on to take the final frame, 25-15, and the match, 3-1.
The Red Storm will return for the second match of the twin bill against Bryant tonight. First against the Bulldogs is set for 7 p.m.
It was an action-packed contest in Queens, featuring long rallies with neither side willing to give any headway. In the end, the Red Storm (9-2) were able to outlast the Quakers (6-2). The set scores were 25-19, 25-18, 18-25 and 25-15.
St. John's recorded a season-high 83 digs, behind a career-best 41-dig outburst from libero Rashanny Solano Smith. Two Johnnies recorded double-doubles, as Carola Tesoro fired 16 kills and notched 16 digs, while Amanda Caputi dished out a season-best 38 helpers to go along with 12 digs. Eight St. John's players tallied kills in the match.
Lejla Hadziredzepovic also chipped in 16 kills. Tesoro added a match- and career-best four service aces. At the net, Hadziredzepovic and Teodora Stamenkovic swatted 2.0 total shots each, followed by Chloe Bell's 1.5 total rejections, at the team tallied 8.0 total blocks.
The opening set featured long rallies to start the match, with St. John's taking a 4-0 lead. The Quakers fought back and took a brief lead at 7-6, but the Johnnies regrouped as another back-and-forth ensued to 11-11. The Red Storm went up by a pair and held the advantage to 20-18. In the end, the home team ended the set on a 5-1 run for a 25-19 final score.
Game two was tight from the beginning, featuring 11 tied scores and four lead changes as neither team gave an inch to the media timeout, with St. John's holding a 15-14 lead. The Red Storm carried the momentum and pushed to the red zone with a four-point cushion at 20-16. St. John's powered through late to take the game, 25-18, and a 2-0 match lead.
The Quakers took control early in the third frame, going up 7-3. Penn's offense continued to march on to a 14-6 advantage in the middle portion of the set, and its lead bubbled to as many as eight at 21-13. St. John's tried to make a comeback, but Penn held firm to take the set, 25-18.
Despite Penn taking a 3-1 lead to start, the Johnnies' offense engineered a 5-1 run to take the lead at 6-4. From there, the home team found its groove and used a 10-1 spurt to go up 19-9. The Red Storm held on to take the final frame, 25-15, and the match, 3-1.
The Red Storm will return for the second match of the twin bill against Bryant tonight. First against the Bulldogs is set for 7 p.m.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballTeam Stats
Penn
SJU
Kills
40
60
Errors
15
27
Attempts
143
166
Hitting %
.175
.199
Points
53.0
77.0
Assists
39
58
Aces
5
9
Blocks
8
8
Game Leaders
Kills
16
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
16
Aces
4
Blocks
1
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
7
Aces
1
Blocks
3
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