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

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's volleyball team hosted the United States Merchant Marine Academy and Sarah Lawrence College for a Skyline conference tri-match on Sunday. The Bears were swept in straight sets by the Mariners, but fought off a late Sarah Lawrence rally to come away with the sweep in the second match.

The Basics

• Final Score (Match 1): Merchant Marine 3, St. Joseph's 0
• Set Scores (Match 1): 25-11, 25-15, 25-10
• Final Score (Match 2): St. Joseph's 3, Sarah Lawrence 0
• Set Scores (Match 2): 25-20, 25-11, 27-25
• Records: Merchant Marine (12-5, 5-1), Sarah Lawrence (9-11, 4-4), St. Joseph's (6-8, 2-4)
• Location: Brooklyn, N.Y. — The Hill Center

How It Happened vs. Merchant Marine

• After a 2-2 score, the Mariners used a 7-1 run to take control of the set. Merchant Marine didn't look back from there, cruising to a 25-11 set victory and a 1-0 match lead. Tiffany Garcia-Lawson (Floral Park, N.Y./St. John's Prep) paced SJC in the frame, compiling three kills and five digs.
• The second set proved closer, as a Nina DiCioccio (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) kill narrowed the Bears' deficit to three, 7-10. Immediately after, the visitors went on a 7-2 run and coasted from there, taking it 25-15. After two, three Mariners' had six-plus kills, while Garcia-Lawson led the Bears with six of her own.
• In the third USMMA stomped their foot down, climbing out to a 14-4 lead out of the gate. DiCioccio and Garcia-Lawson came away with kills in the stanza for the Bears, but couldn't answer completely as the visitors took it 25-10, and the match 3-0.

How It Happened vs. Sarah Lawrence

• The Bears were down 4-2 early, but turned things around soon after, amassing an 8-1 run to gain control. Sarah Lawrence made things interesting late, however, as a 7-1 run with Eleni Spentzouris serving tightened the margin to 21-19 Bears. The hosts were able to hold on 25-20, behind five kills, three digs, and an ace in the period from DiCioccio.
• St. Joseph's upped the aggression in the second, rushing out to a 7-0 advantage right away on three aces from Briana Marrazzo (East Elmhurst, N.Y./St. John's Prep). The lead would swell to 13-1 soon after, and the Bears would hold on for a 25-11 triumph. SJC won the kill battle 9-4 in the set, on .208 hitting.
• Sarah Lawrence came out determined in the third, jumping out to a 13-5 lead to try and stay alive. The Bears fought back, but couldn't gain control as the visitors held a 21-16 lead down the stretch. Then, with SJC facing defeat 24-23, back-to-back aces from Garcia-Lawson put them ahead 25-24, and they held on for a 27-25 set win and a 3-0 sweep.

For the Bears

• Against Sarah Lawrence, DiCioccio tallied 14 kills (.324), nine digs, three assists and an ace en route to a match-high 15 points.
• Garcia-Lawson led the Bears against USMMA with seven kills (.235), eight digs, and two blocks. Additionally, she notched 8 kills (.375), five digs, and two aces versus Sarah Lawrence.
• Marrazzo earned 12 points against the Gryphons, good for second on the team, with five kills and a match-high seven aces, as well as 12 digs.
• Csikortos picked up her team-leading eighth double-double of the year with 22 assists and 15 digs in the second match.

The Bear Facts

• Marrazzo's seven aces tied her career high, which was set against Staten Island (Sep. 30).
• The Bears improve to 14-4 all-time against Sarah Lawrence, and fall to 0-4 all-time against Merchant Marine.

Next Up for the Bears

• A return to non-conference play, hosting borough-rival Brooklyn College on Tuesday (Oct. 17), beginning at 7 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at SJCBears.com.