Volleyball Drops Opening Match of Vassar Quad to Vassar Friday Night

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) volleyball team dropped its opening contest of the Vassar Quad matches against hosts Vassar College (Vassar), 3-0, Friday night inside Kenyon Hall in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. With the result, the Blue Jays drop to 0-5 on the season while the Brewers move to 2-2.

KEY MOMENTS 

• The Blue Jays started the first set strong, jumping out to a 3-1 edge after a kill from freshman outside hitter Shaye Harris (Prospect, Conn.) and two Vassar errors.
• However, the Brewers would storm back, jumping out to a 6-4 edge of their own.
• The two teams then went on to trade points, until USJ reestablished a three-point lead, 13-10, following another timely Harris kill.
• Vassar continued to claw its way back into the match, forcing a 19-19 tie, before ending the set on a 6-2 run to take the opening set, 25-21.
• Set two started as another close contest, as the Blue Jays and Brewers played out a 4-4 draw as Harris and junior outside hitter Rachel Heaney (Torrington, Conn.) both notched kills.
• Vassar though would begin to pull away, using a 3-0 stretch to take a 7-4 edge and force a USJ timeout.
• USJ would put an end to the Vassar run after a costly Brewer's error, but the hosts continued to build upon its lead, extending the gap to 15-8 and forcing another USJ timeout.
• Senior outside hitter Shannon Carey (Bayport, N.Y.) would record a kill straight out of the break in play to cut the gap to 15-9, but the Brewers continued to put their foot on the gas, getting within set point, 24-12.
• USJ would try and mount a late comeback as a Harris kill fueled a 3-0 stretch, but the deficit proved to much as Vassar won the second set, 25-15, to increase its lead in the match to 2-0.
• The Brewers opened the third set on a 4-1 run; however, the Blue Jays would respond with a 5-1 stretch, featuring a kill from Carey and two by Heaney to establish a 6-5 edge.
• Vassar would respond in kind with an 8-4 stretch taking back the lead 13-10 and forcing USJ to call a timeout.
• The Brewers tried to pull away, setting up a six-point gap, 17-11, but USJ fought back, utilizing a 6-2 stretch, featuring kills from freshman outside hitter Vivian Pawloski (Wallingford, Conn.) senior middle blocker Victoria Isokpehi (Lagos, Nigeria) and Carey to pull back within two, 17-15.
• Vassar reopened a three-point gap, but two costly errors enabled USJ to get within one, 20-19. However, the errors would not come back to haunt them, as Vassar secured the third set, 25-20, and the match, 3-0.

NOTES 

• Harris paced the USJ offense with nine kills.
• Sophomore setter Alexandra Long (East Hartford, Conn.) racked up 13 assists.
• Senior libero Fernanda Ayala Rodriguez (San Juan, Puerto Rico) lead the USJ defense with 13 digs.
• The Brewers outhit the Blue Jays .294 percent to .116 percent.
• With the victory, the Brewers take the all-time series lead, 1-0, after winning the inaugural match between the two sides.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays continue the Vassar Quad matches tomorrow, Saturday September 9 with meetings against Neumann University and Wheaton (Mass.). First serve against the Knights is set for 10:00 a.m., while the Blue Jays meet the Lyons on the court at 2:00 p.m.

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