WSOU

Walsh's Big Day Not Enough for Pirates in 3-1 Loss to St. John's

Date: October 12, 2022

By: Michael Stamm

Bianca Bucciarelli tried her best, but it just wasn't enough to get past the Red Storm.

Seton Hall Athletics

The Seton Hall Pirates (13-6, 4-3 Conf.) took on St. John’s Red Storm (14-6, 5-2 Conf.) in a pivotal Big East volleyball matchup on Wednesday. With both teams tied for third in the conference standings, this match was huge for both teams, with the Red Storm taking it, 3-1.

The Hall entered this match following a 3-0 loss against the No. 18 ranked Marquette Golden Eagles and were looking to start a four-game road trip starting in Queens, NY strong.

The first set began with both teams going back and forth. The Red Storm were able to pull away 11-6. The Pirates climbed back within two to make the score 13-11 behind three kills by Sophomore outside hitter Jenna Walsh.

That sign of life did not last very long though, as St. John’s pulled a 4-0 run to force a Seton Hall timeout. The Pirates really struggled to get past the Red Strom front line and finished Set One with just seven kills and a -10.3% hitting percentage.

St. John’s would have seven blocks, four by sophomore Giorgia Walther. She would also lead the Red Storm in kills at the end of Set One, with her team winning 25-16.

The second set started as back-and-forth as it could get, with neither team able to get ahead by more than two.

A kill by Bianca Bucciarelli and then an ace by Jenna Walsh forced St. John’s to take its first timeout down 11-9. The Pirates tried to pull away, and at one point held a four-point lead up 16-12, but the Red Storm climbed back again behind Walther and Rachele Rastelli to bring them down just one point, forcing a Seton Hall timeout.

The set continued after the timeout and went back to neither team being able to sustain a lead. A kill by Giorgia Walther put the Red Storm into set point up 24-23, but Bianca Bucciarelli fired right back with a kill of her own to tie it back up at 24.

Another kill by Walther and then an attack error by Bucciarelli awarded St. John’s the set 26-24.

The Pirates attacked way better in Set Two with 15 kills. Bucciarelli had seven kills in that set, but it wasn’t enough as the Red Storm held a 2-0 set lead.

With Seton Hall on the brink of getting swept, the squad came out hunting and connected on four kills to go up 5-1, forcing St. John’s to take a timeout.

The Red Storm again climbed back, tying the set at 11, prompting a Seton Hall timeout. The rest of Set Three would be a back-and-forth battle, with each team tied at 24. A kill by Bucciarelli and then an attack error by Walther awarded the Hall their first set with a score of 26-24.

Set Four again was a battle for points, with both teams keeping it close. St. John’s eventually started to pull away with a 17-12 lead, making the Pirates take a timeout to talk it over.

Seton Hall would climb back again, cutting the St. John’s lead to two. The Pirates did their best to push it to a fifth and final set, but Giorgia Walther had two kills in the last three points to give the Red Storm the win.

Jenna Walsh had another 20-kill game and Bianca Bucciarelli had 14. Maddie Klungel led the team in blocks with six.

For their next game, the Pirates will fly out to Indianapolis, IN to take on the Butler Bulldogs (9-9, 3-3 Conf.) on Oct. 14. WSOU Sports will continue to have coverage on that game and the rest of the 2022 Seton Hall Pirates Woman Volleyball season.

Michael Stamm can be reached at michael.stamm@student.shu.edu.

Posted in: Sports, Volleyball

Seton Hall

Seton Hall

Merchandise

wsou store