Lady Bears Defeat Conference Foe Yeshiva in Straight Sets

BROOKLYN, NY - On a night where the St. Joseph's College women's volleyball team was wearing special purple uniforms and raising money for the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, the Lady Bears handled their business on and off the court. In their final conference game of the regular season, St. Joseph's won in straight sets, 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-17), over the Yeshiva Maccabees.

The team also raised $206 which will be added to the over $1,300 the team raised at the Paramus New Jersey Pancreatic Cancer  Walk a few weeks ago, and donated to the Lustgarten foundation.

With the win, the Lady Bears improve to 6-16 overall and 2-3 in the Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference (HVWAC) while the Maccabees fall to 3-9 and 1-6 in the HVWAC.

Playing without starting outside hitter Yliane Ulloa (Queens, NY/Midwood), the Lady Bears got a big lift from junior Kim Matthews (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Kearney) who recorded her fifth double-double of the season and led the match in kills (16) and digs (12). Seven of her kills came in the 2nd set, the closest of the match. The Lady Bears trailed 13-9 early in the set before reeling off six straight points. Once they took the lead, the Lady Bears didn't give it up, holding on for a 25-20 victory.

Senior setter Melissa Simo (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood) earned her third double-double of the season with a match high 26 assists and 11 digs. Senior Kathy McCarthy (Breezy Point, NY/Fontbonne Hall) chipped in with 11 digs of her own, while also notching four kills.

Rena Rotter led the Maccabees in both kills with four and digs with nine.

The Lady Bears hit the road for their next match on Tuesday at New Jersey City University. Game time is set for 7:30 pm.