Volleyball Drops GNAC Opener at SJC

STANDISH, Maine - The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) volleyball team dropped its Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opener on the road at Saint Joseph's College of Maine (SJC), 3-0, Saturday afternoon inside the Alfond Center in Standish, Maine. The Monks won the match by scores of 25-15, 25-22, and 25-20. With the result, the Blue Jays fall to 0-6 on the year and 0-1 in conference play, while the Monks move to 2-7 overall and 1-0 in the GNAC.

KEY MOMENTS 

• The Monks grabbed an early edge, opening the match on a 5-0 run.
• USJ would pull back within three, 8-5, taking advantage of a SJC attack error.
• The Blue Jays continued to fight as a senior outside hitter Rachel Heaney (Torrington, Conn.) kill and a service ace from freshman outside hitter Ericka Pryz (Amityville, N.Y.) closed the gap to two, 12-10.
• However, SJC would not allow USJ to get any closer, running away to take the opening set, 25-15.
• USJ would grab the lead in the early moments of the second set, holding a 6-4 advantage after a winner from sophomore outside hitter Shaye Harris (Prospect, Conn.) and a SJC error.
• The Monks would retake the lead, but kills from Harris and Heaney kept the scoreline within one, 12-11.
• The two teams continued to trade points, as SJC carried its one-point lead late into the set after two costly errors closed their edge to 22-21. However, they would not prove costly as the hosts won the second set, 25-22.
• The Blue Jays again grabbed an early lead to start the third, 6-3, after a kill from Harris was followed by tree consecutive SJC errors.
• The Monks were abel to tie the set, but junior outside hitter Tatianah Ziegler (Troy, N.Y.) notched a service ace, maintaining a 10-9 lead.
• However, the Monks utilized an 11-3 run to break open a 21-12 advantage.
• The Blue Jays did not get away, utilizing stellar serving from Pyrz to rattle off seven straight points, closing the deficit to 21-19.
• The effort was too little too late though, as the Monks held off USJ to win the set, 25-20, and the match, 3-0.

NOTES 

• Harris paced the team with six kills.
• Freshman setter Gabi Wanner (Southington, Conn.) dished out 12 assists on the night.
• Sophomore libero Jennifer Antonowicz (Wolcott, Conn.) paced the defense, notching 11 digs.
• The Monks outhit the Blue Jays, .114 percent to negative .036 percent.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays take a quick break from conference play, welcoming intrastate foes Connecticut College for a non-conference match on Tuesday, September 17. Opening serve against the Camels inside James A. Calhoun Gymnasium is slated for 6:00 p.m.

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