University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
10-4,2-0Big East
St. John's
9-6,0-1Big East
Volleyball Earns Second Straight Sweep Over St. John's, 3-0
9/25/2021 6:41:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
STORRS, Conn. - Closing out its opening weekend of Big East play, the UConn volleyball team earned another sweep as it downed St. John's, 3-0, Saturday evening at Gampel Pavilion.
UConn (10-4, 2-0 Big East) recorded a season-high 17 blocks, led by 10 from sophomore Taylor Pannell. Senior Caylee Parker produced a double-double with 10 kills and 12 digs, while juniors Allie Garland and Jasmine Davis notched seven kills apiece.
With the win, UConn improves to 2-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2016 campaign, and 2-0 in Big East action since 2012.
"I'm speechless in some ways," remarked head coach Ellen Herman-Kimball. "I'm just so proud of them. They've come so far in such a short time."
In the opening set, the Huskies took the first three points before the two squads went toe-to-toe as the score held at 11-all. UConn went for three consecutive blocks as part of a 4-0 run to gain breathing room, and started to pull away as Red Storm attacking errors extended the gap to 23-15. St. John's came within one, but Pannell and graduate student McKayla Wuensch tallied UConn's eighth block of the set to secure the point.
The Huskies went on another tear to start the second frame with a 6-0 spurt. Once again, St. John's climbed back to make it a 16-16 game, but the blocking duo of Garland and Pannell sparked a 6-0 streak, and a Parker kill closed the set as the Huskies put themselves in position for another sweep.
Looking to close out the match, Davis capped a 4-0 streak to put the scoreboard at 20-14 in favor of the Huskies, though the Red Storm reeled off a 7-0 run to take the lead. Davis stayed hot as she ripped back-to-back kills before Garland thrust UConn back on top, 23-22. St. John's won the ensuing two points to force set point, but Pannell and Parker responded with kills of their own, and an attacking error by the Red Storm ended the game as the Huskies improved to 7-1 at home.
"We talk about getting better every day, getting one percent better," said Herman-Kimball. "It's really about execution, we don't take any match for granted, any set for granted. Every set starts at 0-0 and I think having that mentality and that sense of urgency is huge for us."
The Huskies will hit the road next weekend as they visit Marquette (Oct. 1) and DePaul (Oct. 2).
