Seton Hall
Recap: The Hall Drops a Must-Win to Butler, 3-0
Date: November 7, 2022By: Justin Nicosia
Seton Hall Athletics
The Butler Bulldogs (13-13, 7-7 Big East) defeated the Seton Hall Pirates (14-12, 5-9 Big East) in South Orange Saturday evening.
In what was the most important game of the season thus far, the Pirates went down in three consecutive sets (25-21, 25-23, 26-24).
Seton Hall started the match strong, jumping out to an 8-5 first set lead. However, Butler responded with a 7-1 run to take a 12-9 lead. The Pirates cut the Bulldog lead to one twice – at 15-14, and at 21-20 – but they were unable to re-gain the lead and dropped the opening set.
Butler kept the intensity to start the second set and led 7-5 early before the Pirates scored eight of the next 10 points, aided by three service aces from Asli Subasili. Their biggest lead, four points, came at 15-11.
Asli Subasili has had aces in three of the last four points for The Hall. Timeout Butler... Pirates lead, 13-9, in set two.#HALLin pic.twitter.com/qABxTsOLQ5
— Seton Hall Volleyball (@SHUVolley) November 5, 2022
Butler slowly clawed back, though, and tied the second set at 18. Although Seton Hall then scored three unanswered points to take a 21-18 lead, they were unable to hold on and lost the second set, 25-23.
Desperately trying to avoid their fifth sweep in their last six matches, the Pirates roared out to a 12-8 lead. Butler then scored the next three points, and the teams would alternate points until the Pirates took a 17-14 lead, prompting a Butler timeout.
Seton Hall responded well, winning four of the next six points to take a 21-17 lead, but a couple of errors from Taylor Jakubowski forced The Hall to call a timeout with a 21-19 lead.
The Bulldogs scored four of the next five points out of the timeout, making it 23-22. They had a match point at 24-23, but Jakubowski was able to get a kill to keep the Pirates’ day alive. Two points later, Butler took advantage of a Jenna Walsh attack error to win the third and final set.
The Pirates now fall two games behind Butler for 6th place in the Big East. With four games left in the regular season, they will need some help to make the six-team Big East Tournament.
The Hall falls in three very close sets to Butler. Taylor Jakubowski had a double-double with 13 digs and 13 assists.
— Seton Hall Volleyball (@SHUVolley) November 5, 2022
Jenna Walsh had a team-high nine kills to go with eight digs. Jenn Giron had a career-high 19 digs.#HALLin ☠️ pic.twitter.com/kShoryqRcP
Walsh led the Pirates with nine kills. Jakubowski had a team-high 13 set attacks, and Jennifer Giron led the team with 19 digs.
Butler’s victory gives them the tiebreaker over Seton Hall in the conference standings. Had the Pirates won in straight sets or beat Butler in four sets while scoring more total points than them, they would have clinched the tiebreaker.
It doesn’t get easier from here; with matches against as their next two games on the road, against Xavier and Creighton, come against a pair of top-three teams in the conference. They finish the season against Georgetown and Villanova and must go at least 3-1 to have any chance to make the Big East Tournament.
Butler’s remaining schedule includes three games against teams already eliminated from the Big East Tournament: Villanova, Georgetown, and Providence. They also play UConn on senior night. As long as the Pirates don’t win three more games than them down the stretch, Butler will eliminate them.
WSOU’s next volleyball broadcast will be on Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. against Georgetown.
Justin Nicosia can be reached at justin.nicosia@student.shu.edu.
Posted in: Sports, Volleyball
