STORRS, Conn. (Sept. 14, 2018) – Rutgers volleyball opened the Dog Pound Challenge with a four-set loss to St. John's on Friday morning.
THE LINE
St. John's (9-3)
3, Rutgers (5-6)
0 – 25-20, 26-28, 25-22, 25-12
KNIGHT NOTES
- Rutgers falls for the first time this season when winning the second set (5-1)
- St. John's third straight win in the series increases its lead to 13-9 all-time.
- Rutgers has outblocked opponents in 10 of 11 matches, winning the battle 12-11 over the Red Storm. Rutgers ranks fourth in the nation with 3.09 team blocks per set heading into this weekend.
- Senior outside hitter Sahbria McLetchie matched her career high with 19 kills, and freshman setter Inna Balyko set a career-best with 49 assists.
STANDOUT STATS
- Sophomore right side Beka Kojadinovic posted her third career double-double with 13 kills and 10 digs.
- Freshman outside hitter Tali Marmen bounced nine kills, while junior middle Stasa Miljevic had eight and was one of four Scarlet Knights with five blocks.
- McLetchie, junior middle Jasmine Stackhouse and Balyko were the other three.
THE MOMENTS
- Set 1 | Rutgers stayed alive late in the set with a 6-3 run and saving two set-points with Kojadinovic and McLetchie each getting their sixth kill. St. John's won the set 25-20 on a service error.
- Set 2 | The opponents battled through 18 tie scores and three lead changes. Rutgers saved two set-points on kills by Miljevic and Marmen before Marmen's second consecutive kill put RU up 26-25. McLetchie's 12th kill of the match delivered the set, 28-26, following a Red Storm ball handling error at 26-26.
- Set 3 | Miljevic and Marmen fueled an early 9-2 lead for Rutgers, but St. John's gradually chipped away and took a 2-1 lead with the 25-22 result.
- Set 4 | An 11-2 stint gave St. John's a 20-9 lead and all the momentum it needed to clinch the match.
UP NEXT
The Scarlet Knights face the host, UConn, on Friday evening at 7 p.m. before taking on Holy Cross at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15 to close out the Dog Pound Challenge.
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