Women’s Volleyball Downs Sarah Lawrence to Split Skyline Tri-Match

KINGS POINT, N.Y. — The St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's volleyball team (6-9, 2-4 Skyline) traveled to the United States Merchant Marine Academy for a Skyline Conference tri-match against the Mariners and Sarah Lawrence College on Sunday. The Bears fell in straight sets to USMMA but took down Sarah Lawrence to pick up their second league win of 2018.

How It Happened vs. USMMA
Three-straight Mariner kills gave the hosts an 8-3 lead early in the first set, but a Kayla Ostermann (Glendale, N.Y./Queens Metropolitan) kill brought SJC within striking distance at 8-6. However, an 8-1 USMMA run soon after extended the lead to 20-9 and they went on to win the frame 25-13.

Back-to-back kills from Valentina Urgo (Astoria, N.Y./St. John's Prep) put the Bears ahead 3-1 to open the second and, after some back-and-forth play, a Nicole Leone (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) ace tied the score at 9. The Mariners went on to score five points in a row to take control and they took a 25-14 set victory behind five Katie Lefler kills.

Ostermann notched a kill to give the Bears a 15-14 lead in the third and shortly after Leone slammed another ace for an 18-14 SJC advantage. USMMA responded with an 11-2 run, featuring three Lefler kills, to conclude the set (25-20) and complete the sweep.

How It Happened vs. Sarah Lawrence
The Gryphons jumped out to a 10-7 to start the match, but St. Joseph's answered with an 18-3 rally that saw Cristina Morales (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) put up three-straight aces leading to a 25-20 triumph in the first set.

A Morales kill had the Bears up 12-7 as they looked to take a commanding 2-0 lead, but Sarah Lawrence found their stride with an 8-2 spurt to gain the advantage (18-14). Urgo put the Bears ahead with a kill to make it 22-20, but SLC scored five of the last six points to knot the match at 1 set apiece.

The Bears regained control and never looked back as they received kills from six different players over the final two sets to take 25-16 and 25-14 victories as they earned their sixth win of the year. After the split, SJC sits at 2-4 in Skyline play which places them in a seventh place tie; one spot out of a playoff berth.

For the Bears

• Urgo (13), Briana Marrazzo (East Elmhurst, N.Y./St. John's Prep) (13), and Morales (11) all totaled double-digit kills on the day.
• Morales added 15 digs onto her 10 kills against Sarah Lawrence for a double-double.
• Makayla Beehler (Rockaway Beach, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) compiled 38 digs and 37 assists on the day as she notched a pair of double-doubles.

Next Up for the Bears
A return to The Hill Center taking on Centenary University on Tuesday (Oct. 16) at 7 p.m. with live stats and video at SJCBears.com.