Women's Volleyball Splits Tri-Match Picking Up Second Win of Season

BROOKLYN, NY – The St. Joseph's College women's volleyball team finished 1-1 at Saturday's home tri-match. The Lady Bears lost to Keystone College (6-4, 0-0 CSAC) in four sets (19-25, 16-25, 25-22, 17-25), but finished the day with a 3-1 win against College of St. Elizabeth 3-1 (25-9, 25-10, 23-25, 25-19).

Match 1 – Keystone 3, St. Joseph's 1 (19-25, 16-25, 25-22, 17-25)

The Lady Bears came out strong in the opening match with senior Yliane Ulloa (Queens, NY/Midwood) serving the team to a 7-0 lead in the first set. However, after a Keystone timeout, the Giants came back to even the score at 12-12. Both teams battled, with the score remaining close until the Giants pulled away winning seven of the last eight points to end the set at 25-19.

In the second set Keystone kept the momentum going as the Lady Bears struggled to keep pace. But with a nine point deficit at 15-6 the Bears could not close the gap and fell 25-16 to the Giants.

St. Joseph's came back strong in the third set with a 25-22 win over the Giants. Junior outside hitter Kim Matthews (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Kearney) helped lead the Bears to victory with five kills, one ace, and two block. Senior Melissa Simo (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood) also chipped in dishing out 14 of her 30 assists for the match.

In the fourth and final set Keystone took the lead from the start going on a 4-0 run. The Giants managed to stay ahead, extending their lead to nine, 20-11. The Lady Bears fought to gain another six points but couldn't close the gap in time, losing the set 25-17.

Matthews finished with her first career double-double, posting 14 kills and 12 digs. Ulloa led the defense with 15 digs.

Three Giants finished with double digit kills, led by freshman Shelby Morgan (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) who had a match-high 14 kills and seven digs.

Match 2 – St. Joseph's 3, St. Elizabeth's 1 (25-9, 25-10, 23-25, 25-19)

The Lady Bears bounced back from their first loss with a victory over St. Elizabeth's (0-9). In the first set the Lady Bears dominated, limiting the Screaming Eagles to only nine points. Ulloa had four aces and two kills in the set.

The Lady Bears stayed strong in the second set, never letting St. Elizabeth take the lead. Senior Kathleen McCarthy had four kills and one ace in the set, leading St. Joseph's to a 25-10 win.

In the third set the Screaming Eagles jumped out to an early 9-1 lead. St. Joseph's called time out and regrouped, evening the score at 12-12 behind an eight point serving streak from Matthews.. St. Elizabeth's pulled away again maintaining a slight lead until the Lady Bears tied it up once again at 22-22. However, they were not able to pull ahead, dropping the set 25-23.

St. Joseph's rallied back to take the fourth set and end the match. With the set tied at 13-13, the Lady Bears went on a 5-0 run that gave them the lead they needed to win the set 25-19.

Matthews led the Lady Bears attack with 11 kills. Ulloa finished with a near double-double with 10 digs, nine aces and seven kills.

Chanice Sears (Plainfield, NJ/Plainfield HS) led the Screaming Eagles with six kills and six aces.

St. Joseph's returns to action on Monday, September 20 opening Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference play with a road contest against Medgar Evers College at 7:30 PM.