Lady Bears Championship Run at HVWAC Tournament Falls Short

NEW ROCHELLE, NY – After upsetting the regular season champions Sarah Lawrence College in the semifinals, the St. Joseph's College women's volleyball team's hopes for a sixth Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference title in past seven years were dashed with a heartbreaking five-set loss to defending champions College of New Rochelle, 3-2 (16-25,25-18,23-25,25-12,15-9).

Junior Kim Matthews led the Lady Bears tallying 34 kills with a .222 hitting percentage and 43 digs, recording a pair of double-doubles and setting season highs in kills and digs in both matches. In award ceremonies after the tournament, Matthews was named to the All-Conference team.

St. Joseph's finishes their 2010 campaign with an 8-19 record, nearly tripling their win total from last season.

Semifinals: #4 St. Joseph's def. #1 Sarah Lawrence (16-25,25-23,20-25,25-10,15-7)

After dropping the opening set of the semifinal match against Sarah Lawrence, the Lady Bears prevented falling behind 2-0, erasing a nine-point deficit and outscoring the Gryphons 10-1 to close the set 25-23. Sarah Lawrence returned the favor in the third set, wiping out a nine-point Lady Bears lead to steal the set, 25-20.

St. Joseph's ran away with the fourth set behind six kills from Yliane Ulloa (Queens, NY/Midwood) and limited the Gryphons to 10 points to force a deciding set. In the final set, St. Joseph's scored eight straight points behind the Ulloa service to jump out to an 8-1 lead which they carried straight into the Championship game with a 15-7 set win.

Matthews matched the team season-high 18 kills and set a new high with 27 digs, adding six aces. Ulloa contributed 13 kills and 13 digs for her fourth double-double this season. Senior Melissa Simo (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood) dished out 35 assists, her fourth game with 30+ assists. Senior Kathy McCarthy (Breezy Point, NY/Fontbonne Hall) chipped in eight kills and freshman Megan Moran (Syosset, NY/St. Dominic's) notched 18 digs.

Championship: #2 New Rochelle def. #4 St. Joseph's (16-25,25-18,23-25,25-12,15-9)

In the Championship game, the Lady Bears carried the momentum into a seemingly easy 25-16 opening set win. But the defending champions would not back down on their home court, rebounding to take the second set 25-18.

In the third frame, New Rochelle held the lead for the entire set until the 20-20 all mark and St. Joseph's stole the set 25-23 through steady play amassing 11 kills and committing no attack errors in the frame. The Blue Angels stormed back to take the fourth set 25-12 and force a deciding set for the championship.

In the championship set, the strong New Rochelle service, which produced 23 aces, kept St. Joseph's on the defensive and the Lady Bears never held the lead in the frame. With a large home crowd in support, New Rochelle captured the final set 15-9 and the tournament championship.

Matthews recorded a 16 kill, 16 dig double-double, her eighth of the season. In the final match of her career, Ulloa added 13 kills, eclipsing the 500-kill plateau finishing with 511. Also playing in her final match, Simo handed out 26 assists (621 for her career) with 11 digs, recording sixth double-double.