USJ Falters Against Norwich and Dean During GNAC Tri-Match

NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) volleyball team dropped two matches to the Norwich University Cadets and Dean College Bulldogs during a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tri-match Friday inside Andrews Hall in Northfield, Vt. The Blue Jays opened the day against Norwich, falling in straight sets, 3-0. USJ then took on Dean, who defeated the Blue Jays in a thrilling match, 3-2.

GAME ONE
Score: USJ 0, Norwich 3 (13-25, 13-25, 9-25)
Records: USJ (4-11, 1-2 GNAC), Norwich (7-5, 1-2 GNAC)
Location: Andrews Hall (Northfield, Vt.)

GAME TWO
Score: USJ 2, Dean 3 (25-21, 25-8, 22-25, 12-25, 15-17)
Records: USJ (4-12, 1-3 GNAC), Dean (3-14, 1-4 GNAC)
Location: Andrews Hall (Northfield, Vt.)

KEY MOMENTS

• After dropping the first two points, USJ stormed back, using a 4-0 run to take an early 4-2 lead. Fueling the Blue Jays' run was a kill from Kailee Snyder (Brookfield, Conn.) and a service ace by Hannah Benson (Terryville, Conn.)
• However, the Cadets would respond with a 4-0 run of their own, taking a 6-4 edge and forcing USJ into a timeout.
• Norwich continued their momentum, increasing the gap to 22-11, forcing another USJ timeout, before ultimately taking the set 25-13.
• The Cadets would start the second set strong, taking an early 8-4 lead. However, a Shannon Carey (Bayport, N.Y.) ace cut the gap to two, 8-6.
• Norwich would go on to extend their lead to seven, 17-10, forcing the Blue Jays to call a timeout. The Cadets would ultimately take the second set, 25-13.
• The Cadets took an early 6-0 lead in the third set, forcing an early Blue Jays' timeout. The deficit would prove too much, as Norwich took the third set, 25-9, and the match, 3-0.
• After Dean took a narrow 4-3 lead to start the second match, USJ would utilize a 6-0 run, fueled by three service aces from Nicole Albert (Meriden, Conn.), to give the Blue Jays a 9-4 edge.
• However, the Bulldogs would fight back, retaking the lead, 12-10. USJ would mount its own comeback though, using a 5-0 stretch to regain the advantage, 15-12, and force a Dean timeout. Katina Nanos (Lebanon, Conn.) would come up clutch from the service line during the run, recording two aces.
• The two teams would then trade points back and forth, but USJ would hold on and take the opening set, 25-21, after a kill from Jezarae Ortega (East Hartford, Conn.)
• The Blue Jays were on fire to open the second set, starting on a 7-0 run to take an early lead. Benson was stellar, recording two service aces and a kill to lead the stretch for the Blue Jays.
• Dean would stop USJ's run with back-to-back points, but the Blue Jays continued to put their foot on the gas, taking a 13-5 edge and forcing a Bulldogs timeout. Carey would record two straight points, a kill and a service ace, to force Dean into calling for time.
• USJ carried its momentum over from the stoppage in play, extending the gap after a 6-1 run, capped off by Nanos's fourth ace of the match, gave the Blue Jays a 19-6 lead. The Blue Jays would continue to pile on the pressure, taking the second set, 25-8.
• The third set opened up as a back-and-forth affair, as both teams played out a 9-9 tie.
• The Bulldogs would look to pull ahead, taking a slim 14-12 lead, but the Blue Jays instantly tied the match back up at 14-14 after an ace from Albert.
• With the match tied at 15-15, the Blue Jays would go on a timely 3-0 run, to take an 18-15 lead. The run was fueled by a service ace and a kill from Carey.
• Dean would not go down easy though. Using a 3-0 stretch of their own to pull within one, 20-19. However, a kill from Benson reestablished a two-point lead for the Blue Jays.
• The Bulldogs though would outlast the Blue Jays, taking the third set, 25-23.
• Dean would carry its momentum into the fourth set, defeating USJ, 25-12, to send the match into a fifth set.
• The deciding set would be a tight affair, as neither team could pull away. USJ would take an early 4-2 lead after a pair of Dean errors.
• From there, the two teams would trade points, playing out a 14-14 tie. However, the Bulldogs would pull away and take the third set, 17-15, and the match, 3-2.

NOTES

• Benson paced the team in the opening match with five kills
• Albert provided seven assists to lead the team against Norwich, while Natalia Rabassa (Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico) tallied a team-high 13 digs.
• Norwich extended their winning streak over USJ to five-matches with the result.
• The Blue Jays tallied 18 service aces against the Bulldogs, the most in a single match this season..
• Albert lead the way with five aces, tying the most for a Blue Jay this year.
• Carey recorded a double-double against the Bulldogs, recording a team-high 14 kills and adding 10 digs.
• Albert also notched a double-double, tallying 15 assists and 11 digs.
• Rabassa finished with a team-high 31 digs in the closing match.
• Benson also collected double digits in kills, recording 11 against Dean.
• Dean snapped USJ's three-match winning streak, defeating the Blue Jay's for the first time in program history.

UP NEXT

Volleyball continues its four-match road trip with a stop at Elms College on Wednesday, October 5. First serve of the GNAC match between the Blue Jays and Blazers is set for 7:00 p.m. inside Picknelly Arena in Chicopee, Mass.

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