Saint Joseph’s Ends Volleyball’s Win Streak in Four

BOSTON – The Suffolk volleyball team saw its four-match win streak came to a screeching halt Wednesday night as Saint Joseph's (Maine) downed the Rams, 3-1, inside Regan Gymnasium. The GNAC setback came by set scores of 25-23, 23-25, 25-21 and 25-12.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 1, Saint Joseph's 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (8-7, 1-2 GNAC) | Saint Joseph's (5-8, 2-1 GNAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Monks rallied from behind the first frame to take a 1-0 match lead, 25-23. The Rams evened the playing fields in the second stanza by an identical score. Out of a tied third set, 13-13, JSC rolled to a 2-1 match lead and sealed up the victory easily doubling Suffolk's points, 25-12. 

Chidera Nwankwo had a day for the Rams with the sophomore putting together a season-high 12 kills on a .400 hitting clip to go along with five blocks. Bridget Allison also notched 12 kills, hitting .310 and chipped in 11 digs defensively for her second double-double performance of the season. Talia Lombardo was two kills shy of a triple double as the sophomore contributed 18 digs, 13 assists and eight kills. Liz Kerek helped set up the offense with 20 assists and Jessica Rexrode and Heidy Barreiro chipped in on the defensive end with 13 digs and 12 digs, respectively. 

SET ONE RECAP (25-23, Saint Joseph's)

• After the score tying four times, a block from Nwankwo and Leah Pedersen put Suffolk up, 9-7.
• The score leveled for the fifth time at 11-11, and went on to knot twice more at 15 and 20.
• The Monks took their first lead of the set at 21-20 and tacked on another point before the Rams called for a break.
• Kills from Nwanko and Lombardo locked the score at 23-all, but the visitors coupled back-to-back points to take the set, 25-23.

SET TWO RECAP (25-23, Suffolk)

• Suffolk leaped out an 11-6 edge.
• Saint Joseph's chipped away at the hosts lead out of their own timeout and pulled within two, 14-12.
• Back-to-back Nwankwo kills kept the Monks at a distance, 18-15, but not for long as the score evened at 18.
• The score would tie four more times down the stretch, before a Nwankwo kill coupled with a Jane Buckley block gave the set to the Rams, 25-23. 

SET THREE RECAP (25-21, Saint Joseph's)

• Suffolk trailed the Monks, 12-6.
• Behind Heidy Barreiro at the service line, the Rams shot back and knotted the score at 13-all.
• SJC did not let Suffolk take the lead as it went back up, 18-13.
• Another back-to-back kills from Nwankwo made it a four-point frame, 22-18.
• Despite an ace from Barreiro that put Suffolk within two, the Monks held off the Rams to take the set, 25-21. 

SET FOUR RECAP (25-12, Saint Joseph's)

• SJC jumped out to a 10-5 lead that quickly blossomed to a 14-7 advantage.
• The Rams used both of their timeouts to talk things over, but the deficit was too large as the Monks went on to seal the set and match, 25-12. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Lombardo put together her fourth double-double of the season and eighth of her career.
• Allison posted her second double-double of 2016 and fourth overall.
• This marks the first time in 2016 that two Rams have notched double-double efforts and the first time since the 2015 season finale at Smith October 29 when Allison (14 kills, 11 digs) and Liz Kerek (29 assists, 12 digs) each had double-double performances.
• Nwankwo upended her season best of 10 kills with a 12-kill effort. 

POST-MATCH PIC