Volleyball Drops a Pair Saturday

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The University of Saint Joseph volleyball team hosted the Gordon College Fighting Scots and the Rivier University Raiders in a tri-match on Saturday inside the O'Connell Center. The Blue Jays were defeated by both Gordon (3-1) and Rivier (3-0) to fall to 4-18 overall and 0-10 in the GNAC on the season. 

In the first match, the Blue Jays took on the Rivier Raiders. The first set started off quickly for the Raiders with a 4-0 lead. The Raiders continued to increase the score with seven unanswered points. The Blue Jays struggled to catch the Raiders and ended the first set with a score of 24-12. 

The second set started off better for the Blue Jays. The first point was earned due to an attack error, but the second came from a kill by sophomore Jasmine Buckley (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.). The Blue Jays took the lead from the Raiders with a number of kills by senior Hannah Lemek (Bristol, Conn.). After six unanswered points from the Raiders, Buckley hit back with five consecutive aces to pull USJ within 23-18, but the Raiders finished off the set with a 25-18 victory.

The Blue Jays earned the first point in the final set against the Raiders. The Raiders answered back, but the Blue Jays quickly scored three consecutive points bringing them to a 4-1 lead. The two teams traded points until the Raiders pushed forward 22-17. The set remained close, but two final kills by the Raiders finished the set and the game. The Blue Jays were defeated 25-21 and 3-0.

In the second match against the Fighting Scots, sophomore Jasmine Buckley (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.)  opened the set by winning the first point for the Blue Jays. Soon afterwards, the Fighting Scots answered back with a point of their own. The first set was neck and neck until the Fighting Scots took a seven-point lead (21-14) over the Blue Jays, finishing off the set 25-16.

The Blue Jays won the second set 25-23 and posted a .292 hitting percentage and ten kills as a team. The Blue Jays started the set on a 7-2 run. The Fighting Scots cut the lead to one with a 13-9 run. The Blue Jays scored eight out of the next 14 to take a 24-21 lead and force set point. The Blue Jays earned their final point off a service error, ending the set victorious, 25-23.

The Fighting Scots won the third set 25-23. The two teams traded points for most of the set until Gordon took an 18-17 lead. The Blue Jays scored four in a row to take a three-point lead, 21-18. Junior Brenna Miller (McCleary, Wash.) had two aces during the set, but it wasn't enough to hold off the Fighting Scots as they came back to take the set.

In the final set, Gordon started off on a 6-0 run. The Blue Jays responded by scoring six in a row to tie the set at 6-6. The teams traded five-point runs to tie the set again at 12-12. The Fighting Scots broke the tie with a 13-6 run and closed out the set with a score of 25-18.

The Blue Jays are back in action for Senior Night on Thursday, Oct. 26 at home against Pine Manor at 7 p.m.