Women's Volleyball Falls in Four Sets to York

Women's Volleyball Falls in Four Sets to York

JAMAICA, N.Y. – Despite a combined 28 kills from the combination of senior Megan Moran (Syosset, N.Y./St. Dominic's) and sophomore Lauren GaNun (Breezy Point, N.Y./Fontbonne Hall), the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's volleyball team suffered a 3-1 (26-24, 25-12, 24-26, 27-25) setback to York College in non-conference action on Friday night at the York College Gym.

St. Joseph's (9-7, 4-0 HVIAC) has now dropped matches to CUNYAC members on back-to-back nights following a three-match winning streak while York (5-16, 1-5 CUNYAC) celebrates senior night by ending a two-match losing streak.

The Lady Bears offensive attack was led by Moran who had a team-high 15 kills to go along with eight digs and three service aces. GaNun contributed her sixth double-double of the season slamming down 13 kills while tallying 11 digs and two blocks. Senior Sabrina Cornia (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller) notched her sixth double-double of the year as well helping orchestrate the St. Joseph's offense with 22 assists and 11 digs.

The Cardinals were paced by Stayce Kay Muirhead who put down a match-high 16 kills, hitting an efficient .294. Shauncia McClendon added 13 kills while Evelyn Florentino netted a double-double of her own dishing out 33 assists to go along with her 10 digs.

The opening set was close throughout as the largest lead of the set was five, 20-15, held by York. Midway through the stanza the score was tied at 13-13 but the Cardinals went on a 7-2 to build their largest advantage of the set. The Lady Bears responded with a run of their own scoring four unanswered to get within one 20-19. After York built back up their lead to 23-21, St. Joseph's picked up the next three points to take a 24-23 lead late in the set forcing a Cardinals timeout. Following the timeout, York scored the next three points taking the set and building a 1-0 lead.

The Lady Bears came out on fire in the second set building an early 9-5 margin. However, the Cardinals responded with a 9-1 run that gave themselves a 14-10 lead and they would not look back finishing the set on an 11-2 run to win the second stanza decisively.

St. Joseph's responded well after the tough loss in the second set opening the third set with a 7-3 lead before York fought back with one of their runs to tie the score at 7-7 . The Lady Bears led the Cardinals up until late in the stanza when York tied the score at 20-20. St. Joseph's broke the tie scoring three points in a row but the Cardinals came right back tying the score at 23-23. A Moran kill gave the Lady Bears a one point lead at 24-23 forcing another York timeout. Coming out of the stoppage, the Cardinals tied the set at 24-24 forcing a tiebreaker. However, a kill by Moran and an attack error by York gave St. Joseph's the set and brought the Lady Bears to within 2-1.

The fourth set saw St. Joseph's use the momentum gained by winning the third set by pouncing on the Cardinals early building their largest lead of the match at 15-6. With the Lady Bears up 17-11, York would go on a 6-3 run to cut the deficit to three, 20-17. York responded after a timeout following a GaNun by scoring four unanswered to take a 21-20 lead making St. Joseph's have to regroup by calling a timeout. The Lady Bears forced a tiebreaker but the Cardinals would score the final two point of the set and match to earn the victory.

St. Joseph's resumes action this Sunday, October 20th with a pivotal HVIAC tri-match against Yeshiva and Culinary with both matches having HVIAC Tournament seeding implications. First serve is set for 11 a.m. at Baruch College.