St. John’s Goes Toe-To-Toe with No. 25 Creighton

Saturday, September 26

Queens, N.Y.

7 p.m.

St. John's University

11-4,1-1Big East

No. 25 Creighton

7-7,2-0Big East

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Creighton	20	25	25	25	3
St. John's (NY)	25	10	17	21	1

The St. John’s volleyball team concluded the first week of BIG EAST play by going toe-to-toe with No. 25 Creighton in Queens on Saturday evening, ultimately coming up short, 3-1.

Photo by: Vincent Dusovic

Prior to the start of the match, both teams took a moment to thank today's officials as part of the AVCA's Officials Appreciation Week.

Photo by: Vincent Dusovic

Lejla Hadziredzepovic led St. John’s with 11 kills.

Photo by: Vincent Dusovic

Rashanny Solano Smith notched a match-best 27 digs, her best mark against the Bluejays over her Johnnie tenure.

Photo by: Vincent Dusovic

The Red Storm (11-4, 1-1 BIG EAST) held its own against the nationally ranked Bluejays (7-7, 2-0 BIG EAST) by taking the opening set of the match, ending an 18-set losing streak against Creighton. This marks the first time St. John’s avoided a sweep by CU since the 2023 campaign. The set scores were 25-20, 10-25, 17-25 and 21-25.

Photo by: Vincent Dusovic

St. John’s was held to its second-lowest kill total of the season with just 38, as the team swung just .102. Both teams combined for 18 service errors and 44 attacking errors, as the pair of defenses were the highlight of the match. The Johnnies’ back line was able to record 60 digs, besting the Bluejays’ 59, and recorded 7.0 total blocks (1 BS, 12 BA).

Photo by: Vincent Dusovic

The Red Storm will close out the longest homestand of the season with a pair of league matches next weekend. On Friday, Oct. 2, St. John’s welcomes Xavier for a 7 p.m. battle. The following day, the Johnnies will host Butler at 5 p.m.

Photo by: Vincent Dusovic

9/26/2026 10:09:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

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Red Storm end 18 set losing streak to the Bluejays

QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's volleyball team concluded the first week of BIG EAST play by going toe-to-toe with No. 25 Creighton in Queens on Saturday evening, ultimately coming up short, 3-1.

The Red Storm (11-4, 1-1 BIG EAST) held its own against the nationally ranked Bluejays (7-7, 2-0 BIG EAST) by taking the opening set of the match, ending an 18-set losing streak against Creighton. This marks the first time St. John's avoided a sweep by CU since the 2023 campaign. The set scores were 25-20, 10-25, 17-25 and 21-25.

St. John's was held to its second-lowest kill total of the season with just 38, as the team swung just .102. Both teams combined for 18 service errors and 44 attacking errors, as the pair of defenses were the highlight of the match. The Johnnies' back line was able to record 60 digs, besting the Bluejays' 59, and recorded 7.0 total blocks (1 BS, 12 BA).

Lejla Hadziredzepovic led St. John's with 11 kills and was followed by Carola Tesoro with nine. Creighton's Ayden Ames led all players with 14 kills. Rashanny Solano Smith notched a match-best 27 digs, her best mark against the Bluejays over her Johnnie tenure.

Set one featured long rallies to start, with St. John's jumping out to a 5-4 lead off a Tesoro kill. St. John's was able to string together a 5-1 run, forcing the Bluejays to take a timeout early at 10-5. The Johnnies continued to roll all the way to the media timeout at 15-9. The middle portion of the set featured multiple miscues from both sides, but as St. John's entered the red zone, it forced CU to take its second timeout at 22-17. Creighton was able to fend off set point twice before a service error sealed a 25-20 set win for St. John's.

Creighton roared back in the second game, taking an early lead and never looking back. The Bluejays used an 11-2 run to put distance on the home team. In the end, Creighton took game two 25-10, leveling the match a set apiece.

The third frame saw St. John's use a 7-2 run out of the gates to take a commanding lead, but the Bluejays flexed their offensive muscle by ripping off an 8-2 swing to take the lead. A series of long rallies broke Creighton's way and the lead continued to grow after a string of St. John's errors. The Johnnies were able to fend off set point three times, but the visitors took the frame 25-17 and a 2-1 match lead.

Set four saw both teams exchange haymakers in the early going, as Creighton went ahead 7-5. The Johnnies continued to put up a fight, clawing back to knot the set at 14-14 off a successful coaches' challenge that resulted in a Solano Smith kill and caused Carnesecca Arena to erupt. The Red Storm then rattled off a 4-1 run to force CU to take its final timeout at 18-15. The Bluejays answered by tying the frame at 20-20 with both teams in the red zone. Creighton engineered a 5-1 run to claim the final set 25-21 and a 3-1 victory.

The Red Storm will close out the longest homestand of the season with a pair of league matches next weekend. On Friday, Oct. 2, St. John's welcomes Xavier for a 7 p.m. battle. The following day, the Johnnies will host Butler at 5 p.m.