Women’s Volleyball Drops Heartbreaker at University of St. Joseph (Conn.), 3-2

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Elms College sophomore middle hitter JC Pickett (Chicopee, Mass.) led the Blazers with nine kills and sophomore libero Caitlyn Larvey (Greenfield, Mass.) had 19 digs, but a 15-kill, 17-dig effort from University of St. Joseph's (Conn.) Ciara Perez (Manchester, Conn.) helped pace the Blue Jays to a thrilling, 3-2 (25-11, 21-25, 28-26, 20-25, 15-12) victory in Tuesday evening's non-conference women's volleyball match at the O'Connell Center in West Hartford, Conn.

With the loss, Elms moves to 0-9 on the season, while St. Joseph moves to 2-8 overall.

After falling behind, 2-1 in the match, Elms battled back in the fourth frame opening up a 23-18 lead before a service error allowed the St. Joseph to narrow its deficit to four at 23-19. Elms then used a Blue Jays' attacking error to earn set point (24-19) but Amanda Dondero (Mastic, N.Y.) delivered a kill to keep the frame going at 24-20. From there, the Blazers were able to force a fifth and deciding stanza thanks to an errant serve to give Elms a 25-20 victory in the fourth set.

In the fifth set, Elms posted an early 3-1 lead on an attacking error by Perez, but St. Joseph answered back with six of the next seven points on the strength of four attacking errors by the Blazers and a kill by Megan Williams (Lakeville, Conn.) to set the score at 7-4.

Three Blue Jays' miscues evened the set at 7-7 but a run of four straight points, including two Perez service aces and an assisted block by Williams and Samantha Edwon (Beacon Falls, Conn.) allowed St. Joseph to forge ahead, 11-7. Elms displayed its resiliency, pulling back to within two at 12-10 behind kills from senior outside hitter Christina Martin (Chicopee, Mass.) and sophomore middle hitter Christine Searles (Tolland, Mass.).

The Blue Jays built the lead back to four at 14-10 before a Martin kill and an attacking error by St. Joseph again allowed the Blazers to pull to within two, but a Rebecca DiPinto (Burlington, Conn.) kill capped the set and the match for the Blue Jays.

Martin notched six kills and 10 digs behind Pickett's nine kills, while freshman outside hitter Alexandra Mack (Wilbraham, Mass.) added four kills and 11 digs in the losing effort.

Freshman setter Shannon Bolton (Shelton, Conn.) dished out eight assists and contributed 11 digs, and senior setter Erika Murphy (Torrington, Conn.) led the squad with nine helpers.

St. Joseph received an 18-dig effort from Emily Vigue (Lebanon, Conn.) and a nine-kill performance from Dondero to compliment Perez's double-digit output.

In addition to her two kills and eight digs, Williams handed out 24 assists, while Perez kept Elms off balance with five service aces.

Elms returns to non-conference action on Thursday, September 20 when it hosts Framingham State University at 7:00 p.m. at Picknelly Arena.