University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
20-7,12-3Big East
St. John's
14-15,5-10Big East
Huskies Clinch BIG EAST Postseason Berth With 3-2 Comeback at St. John's
11/12/2021 5:30:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
QUEENS, N.Y. – Looking to seal its postseason fate, the UConn women's volleyball team will make its second straight BIG EAST Championship appearance after a 3-2 comeback victory at St. John's Friday afternoon at Carnesecca Arena.
St. John's (14-15, 5-10 BIG EAST) looked to fend off the season sweep, but UConn (20-7. 12-3 BIG EAST) secured one of the two remaining spots by taking the five-set thriller.
Furthermore, the Huskies tallied their first 20-win season for the first time since the 2008 campaign, and hit the 12-win mark in BIG EAST games for the first time in program history.
Senior Caylee Parker had a performance for the ages, leading all players with 22 kills on a .477 hitting percentage, and added in 10 digs for her ninth double-double. Fellow senior Kennadie Jake-Turner was also stellar from the outside, tallying 12 kills while registering a .448 hitting percentage.
Parker and Jake-Turner went for back-to-back kills early on as UCoon took a 7-4 edge. St. John's stayed within three until a 5-0 spurt midway through the frame swung the scoreboard in its favor, 15-13. The Huskies battled back to tie it up at 18-all, though the Red Storm took the ensuing three points and eventually claimed the opening set, 25-21.
The Red Storm fed off their home crowd, going up 5-1 to start the next frame until both teams went toe-to-toe as the set moved along. Parker started to take over, ripping back-to-back kills before a pair of errors gave the Huskies their first lead, 17-16. Junior Allie Garland and Parker kept the offense rolling by combining for the next five kills, junior Jasmine Davis added in a service ace, and Jake-Turner helped put the set away as the Huskies finalized the score, 25-21.
UConn carried the momentum coming out of the half, as Parker posted a pair of kills before Davis got in on the attack to make it a 7-5 game. Neither team led by more than two after that, and the Huskies clung to a 19-18 advantage late in the frame. Looking to pull away, Parker kicked off a 4-0 streak, and Jake-Turner closed the set with a swing to put the frame away, 25-20.
St. John's erupted with a 9-2 run to start the fourth. Down 20-9, the Huskies battle back to make it a 24-20 game, but the Red Storm fended off the comeback to force a decisive fifth set.
Junior Mia Ruffolo's service ace gave the Huskies a 2-0 edge to open the fifth, but St. John's took the following four points, and took advantage of errors to pull ahead, 10-5. With a postseason spot on the line, Garland started a 5-0 run to tie the match, and two attacking errors in between a Davis kill put the Huskies ahead by three. With its playoff hopes on the line, St. John's trimmed the gap to 13-12, but Parker and Jake-Turned capped the game with back-to-back kills.
UConn will remain on the road as it heads to Seton Hall tomorrow for a 6 p.m. match.
