Nov. 22, 2008

Box Score

PITTSBURGH - The St. John's volleyball team lost a closely-contested match to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the BIG EAST Tournament Semifinals, 3-1, Saturday afternoon at Pitt's Fitzgerald Field House. With the 25-23, 20-25, 21-25, 25-27 loss, the Red Storm falls to 22-9 overall, while the Irish improve to 16-13 and will advance to the BIG EAST Tournament Finals to face the winner of the Louisville-Pittsburgh match later today.

Leading the Red Storm on the afternoon was senior Wioleta Leszczynska, who had a solid performance with a team-high 41 assists and .556 hitting percentage to go along with six kills and four blocks. Seniors Valeria Kovaleva and Lena Yee were factors for STJ as Kovaleva had a double-double performance with a team-high 16 kills and 10 digs, while Yee equaled the match-high with 17 digs.

Senior Chen Chen had nine kills and led all players with five blocks, while classmate Casie Brooks chipped in with 12 kills and five digs. Rounding out the Red Storm's top performers were sophomore Kun Song and freshman Darlene Ramdin. Song had nine digs and seven kills, while Ramdin recorded six kills.

The Red Storm fell behind early in the first set but used a 5-1 run to take a 6-5 lead. Play remained close from that point until St. John's strung together three-straight points on two kills by Song and one by Brooks to go up 12-9 and force Notre Dame to call its first timeout. After the breather, the Irish fought back to tie the score at 15-15, but another three-consecutive for STJ on a dump by Leszczynska and two kills by Brooks put the Red Storm up 18-15 and ND called its second and final timeout. Back in action, St. John's used both of its timeouts during a 4-0 run by the Irish and fell behind 19-18 but the Red Storm retooled to take a 23-22 lead after a Notre Dame attack error. STJ went up by two on another ND attack error then the points went back and forth until St. John's notched the 25-23 win on a service error. Brooks had a set-high seven kills on eight attempts for a .875 hitting percentage in the opening frame.

The second set featured seven tie scores through 8-8 before the Irish took an 11-8 lead after three-straight, forcing the Red Storm to burn its first timeout. After the breather, STJ fought back to tie it at 11-11, then each team swapped 3-0 runs with Notre Dame having the latter to take a 16-15 lead and St. John's used its second and final timeout. Back in action, ND took the next two points then extended its lead to 22-19. A 3-1 run to end the set gave Notre Dame the frame and the teams went into the lockers tied 1-1 in the match.

The Irish worked up a 7-3 lead early in the third set and the Red Storm called its first timeout. After the breather, ND extended its lead to 10-8 and St. John's was forced to use its second and final timeout early. From that point, Notre Dame maintained the lead but STJ threatened by taking three-straight points to pull within four, 18-14, and the Irish called timeout. Back in action, St. John's came within three points four times, but ND held off a rally to take a 2-1 lead in the match after the 25-21 set win.

The fourth set was back and forth early, with seven lead changes and neither team gaining much momentum. St. John's started to fire things up with three straight, as Notre Dame called timeout during the run and the Red Storm led 13-10. After STJ worked its lead to 18-14, the Irish burnt their second and final timeout but one play later, after a kill made it 18-15, St. John's called its own breather. Back in action, the Red Storm took the next two points but ND responded with two of their own to make it 20-17 and STJ tried to kill the momentum with its second timeout. The Irish came out of the breather with a 4-1 run to come within one point, but a kill by Brooks kept the Red Storm ahead. Notre Dame fought back to tie it at 22-22 then the teams swapped points until the Irish gained match-point, 24-23, on a block. ND earned match-point two more times before finally winning on a Red Storm attack error to take the set, 27-25, and the match, 3-1.

For Notre Dame, junior Christina Kaelin led all players on the afternoon with 21 kills, while classmate Jamel Nicholas set up a match-high 59 assists and picked up 10 digs for a double-double. Freshman Kristen Dealy had a strong day with 14 kills and a match-high 17 digs.

The Red Storm will learn its fate on the evening of Sunday, Nov. 30, when the NCAA will release the 64-team bracket for the 2008 Division I Volleyball Championship.