Volleyball Takes Tri-Match Setback Saturday

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) volleyball team dropped two matches Saturday to Emmanuel College (EC) and Johnson & Wales University (JWU), in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) road tri-match inside the Wildcat Center.

In game one, USJ was able to split the first two sets against EC, but the Saints quickly put the pressure back on the Blue Jays, maintaining a four to five point advantage most of set three. They held on for a 25-20 victory. In the fourth set, the Blue Jays kept fighting and tied it at 10 near the midway point. It would be all EC from there though, scoring 15 of the next 21 points to take the final set, 25-16.

In game two, JWU got off to a stellar start and put the Blue Jays in a tough spot. USJ dropped the first set 25-16, but came back and took the lead in the second set, 11-9, before the Wildcats unleashed all of their weapons to take a 25-14 set two triumph. JWU finished off USJ in the final set with a decisive win, taking the overall, 3-0.

GAME ONE
Score: Emmanuel 3, Saint Joseph 1
Set Scores: 16-25, 25-23, 20-25, 16-25
Records: EC 7-9 (2-4 GNAC), USJ 3-9 (0-6 GNAC)

GAME TWO
Score: Saint Joseph 0, Johnson & Wales 3
Set Scores: 16-25, 14-25, 4-25
Records: USJ 3-10 (0-7 GNAC), JWU 12-5 (7-0 GNAC)
Location: Wildcat Center | Providence, R.I.

COACH QUOTE [Sheila Gisbrecht] "Tough losses today. Some people stepped up in new roles and made an impact though. Julia [Mackenzie] did solid work at the Libero spot, and Shannon [Carey] made the switch to the outside. Fernanda [Ayala Rodriguez] had a solid day at Setter with a double-double against Emmanuel. We will continue to put the work in and get better."

GAME NOTES

• Junior middle hitter Shannon Carey (Bayport, N.Y.) led the way for USJ once again with 22 kills on the day, including 14 in game one.
• Third of five GNAC Tri-Matches this season. USJ will host its next tri-match on October 16.
• USJ trailed by as many as five in their second-set win over the Saints, and scored the final three points to take the set.

NUMBER TO KNOW

0 – The Blue Jays are still seeking their first conference win of 2021. They have six GNAC matches to go as the final third of the regular season continues.

UP NEXT
USJ will be back in action in a non-conference match on Thursday, October 14 against the Mariners of Mitchell College. The opening serve is slated for 7:00 p.m. inside the O'Connell Athletic Center, on the campus of USJ.

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