Nov. 17, 2007

Box Score

MILWAUKEE, WIS. - After dropping the first game, the No. 20 Red Storm volleyball team defeated the USF Bulls 3-1 (29-31, 30-17, 30-27, 30-21) in a total team effort Saturday in the BIG EAST Championship semifinals. With the win, the Red Storm advances to the program's first BIG EAST Championship Final match. St. John's improved to 30-3 on the season, while the Bulls fell to 18-10.

Senior All-BIG EAST first team selection Wioleta Leszczynska dished out a career-high 70 assists in the match, and five players scored in double-digit kills, led by BIG EAST Player of the Year Hui Ping Huang, who contributed 20 kills. Another senior All-BIG EAST first team selection, LaToya Blunt was right behind Huang with 19 kills. Senior Dana DeMayo and junior Valeria Kovaleva each recorded double-doubles for the Red Storm, as DeMayo registered 16 kills and 10 digs, while Kovaleva chipped in 13 kills and 13 digs. Junior BIG EAST Libero of the Year Lena Yee and fellow classmate Casie Brooks were also key to the St. John's victory as Yee led all players with 21 digs and Brooks had 11 kills and 8 digs.

The Bulls pulled out to an early 6-3 lead in game one, but the Red Storm charged back to take a 7-6 lead on a service ace by Kovaleva. The leads were back and forth and a block by Leszczynska put the Red Storm up 15-14 and St. John's pulled out to a three point lead, 18-15, on two kills by Blunt and a block by Huang. USF hung in it, though, and tied it at 19-19, then again three more times after the Red Storm took leads, as this game was so tight. USF used the first timeout of the game at 26-25, and tied it on the next play. USF took the lead late at 28-27, and St. John's burnt its first timeout. The Red Storm grabbed the next two points for game point, but a service error and an attack error put USF at game point 30-29, so the St. John's used its second and final timeout. On the next play after the breather, the Bulls won the game, 31-29 on an attack error.

Blunt started things with a kill in game two, and St. John's busted out to 9-4 lead, forcing the Bulls to use their first timeout. The Red Storm grew its lead to a comfortable 11 points at 16-5, and left the first game loss behind them, and cruised to a 30-17 win. The Red Storm hit an impressive .577 in the second game, and was led by Huang who contributed six kills in the game. The two teams went into the locker rooms tied a game apiece.

After the ten minute break, game three started as another tight one, as neither team established a two-point lead through 12-12, when the Red Storm went up by two, 14-12. The Bulls answered right back to tie it, but St. John's pulled out with three more points to make it 17-14. USF wouldn't back down, though, and tied it back up at 18-18, and St. John's took a timeout. After the breather, the Bulls went up by two, but St. John's came back and grabbed the next three points to take a 21-20 lead. A kill by Huang put the Red Storm back up at 25-24, and South Florida used its first timeout. St. John's pulled ahead to 27-25 on a kill by DeMayo and the Red Storm would stay ahead, as the got to game point on a USF attack error. Blunt slammed the ball down hard to end game three, 30-27, and the Red Storm went up 2-1 in the match.

St. John's went up 3-1 early in game four, but the Bulls took the lead with three straight points. Brooks tied it up and Kovaleva put the Red Storm back up 5-4. The game remained very closely contended until 11-11, but the Red Storm broke off to take a 14-11 lead on a kill by Blunt, forcing USF to take a timeout. St. John's maintained a comfortable lead and went up 21-15 on a kill by . Blunt had a behind the back kill on the next play to make it 22-15, and St. John's continued to pull away, as Huang had a service ace on the next play. With the Red Storm one point away from its first trip to the BIG EAST Championship Final, a kill by Kovaleva ended game four, as St. John's won 30-21, taking the match 3-1.

For the Bulls, senior Kristina Fabris had a match-high 22 kills, and freshman Mariana Thon led the team with 32 assists. Nakia Williams led all players with four blocks, while Stephanie Augustavo had a team-high 17 digs.

The Red Storm returns to the court tomorrow in the BIG EAST Championship Final Match, against the Louisville Cardinals. The game will be nationally televised on ESPNU, and is set to start at 4 p.m. ET.