Volleyball Cruises Past Rival Albertus Magnus, 3-0, During Senior Night Tuesday

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) volleyball team got back in the win column, cruising past intrastate and Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) rivals Albertus Magnus College (Albertus), 3-0, Tuesday night inside the James A. Calhoun Gymnasium in West Hartford, Conn. The match also served as senior night for the Blue Jays, who honored Fernanda Ayala Rodriguez (San Juan, Puerto Rico) and Rachel Heaney (Torrington, Conn.) prior to first serve. With the result, the Blue Jays moved to 3-20 overall and 3-10 in the conference, while the Falcons dropped to 12-17 overall and 3-9 in the conference.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After a back-and-forth start, USJ broke open a four-point lead, 10-6, after a 7-1 run was capped off by a service ace from freshman outside hitter Ericka Pryz (Amityville, N.Y.)
• Albertus would fight back within one, 12-11, but the Blue Jays reestablished a five-point gap, 20-15, after two attack errors by the visitors.
• The Falcons would again close the gap, 23-21, but a winner from sophomore outside hitter Shaye Harris (Prospect, Conn.) and a Falcons attack error secured the opening set for USJ, 25-21.
• After falling behind 3-0 in the second set, the Blue Jays exploded for a 10-1 run, featuring a pair of kills from Harris and Heaney and two service aces by freshman setter Gabi Wanner (Southington, Conn.), to take a 10-4 edge.
• Albertus would pull back within four, 15-11, but back-to-back Harris winners extended the edge to seven, 18-11.
• USJ would continue to dominate, as Heaney wrapped up the set with a kill, securing the set, 25-16, and a 2-0 lead in the match.
• The hosts broke open another early advantage, holding an 11-2 lead after stellar serving from Ayala Rodriguez.
• Albertus would close the deficit to five, 19-14, but a 4-0 USJ run, featuring two kills from freshman outside hitter Lorynes Suriel (Lynn, Mass.) extended the gap to 23-14.
• The Falcons would try and mount a late comeback, but junir outside hitter Bernae Webb (Bridgeport, Conn.) recorded a service ace to win the set for USJ, 25-18, and the match, 3-0.

NOTES 

• Harris recorded a double-double, tallying a match-high 13 kills and 13 digs.
• Wanner also notched a double-double, dishing out 25 assists and notching a team-best 14 digs.
• She also tallied a team-best four service aces.
• USJ outhit Albertus, .137 to -.018

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays conclude the 2024 season with a GNAC tri-match on Saturday, November 9 against Emmanuel College and Dean College inside the Jean Yawkey Center on the campus of Emmanuel in Boston, Mass. USJ will first face the Bulldogs at noon, before concluding the day against the host Saints at 2:00 p.m.

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