Women’s Volleyball Drops Home Opener to John Jay

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's volleyball team (0-3) hosted John Jay College (1-2) in their home opener at The Hill Center on Tuesday night, falling in straight sets. Rookie Cristina Morales (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) led the Bears with six of the team's 10 kills on the night.

How It Happened
John Jay reeled off a 7-1 run early in the first set to take a sudden 11-4 lead on a Brianna Geraldo kill. Soon after, the visitors put up six-straight points capped by two kills from Niovis Monsanto for an 18-7 advantage. Morales notched her fourth kill of the set for SJC's 13th point, but it wasn't enough as they dropped the frame 25-13.

Makayla Beehler (Rockaway Beach, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) slammed back-to-back aces to give the Bears a quick 3-2 advantage in the second. It didn't last long, however, as the Bloodhounds went on an 8-2 run featuring four Monsanto service aces to regain control of the stanza (10-5). Geraldo put away a kill to make it 22-15 John Jay, but the Bears fought all the way back as a Bloodhound attack error made it 24-22. Geraldo went on to finish the set off with a kill to go up 2-0.

The visitors opened the frame on a 9-1 run after another ace from Monsanto and they wouldn't trail all set. Mballou Berete put up one of her seven kills on the night to extend John Jay's lead to 18-11, then Geraldo and Monsanto combined for the Bloodhounds' final seven kills to put the set away 25-14.

For the Bears

• Junior Briana Marrazzo (East Elmhurst, N.Y./St. John's Prep) led the Bears back line with 10 digs to go along with two kills and an ace.
• Valentina Urgo (Astoria, N.Y./St. John's Prep) added two kills, two aces, and seven digs in the loss.
• Beehler served up eight assists was second on the team with nine digs.

Next Up for the Bears
A road match on Thursday (Sep. 13) at New Jersey City beginning at 7:30 p.m.