The St. John’s Women’s Volleyball Team (17-10, 6-7 Big East) returned to their homecourt following a two-game road trip in a 3-1 win against the No. 4 DePaul Blue Devils (16-9, 8-5 Big East). The Red Storm were desperately looking to add a win after losing to No. 2 Marquette and No.1 Creighton as the season nears its conclusion and the Big East Tournament looms ahead. 

The team took the time before the contest to celebrate junior middle blocker Magda Stambrowska for 500 career kills. Junior setter Erin Jones led the way for the Red Storm on Friday night, posting her 5th triple-double of the season, with 15 kills, 22 assists and 11 digs. The New Mexico native posted a 40.7% clip. 

Jones wasn’t the only Johnny with a stellar performance — senior outside hitter Giorgia Walther produced a match-high 15-kill performance with a 30.3% attacking clip. 

The first set remained close throughout play but St. Johns fell to an early 6-2 deficit charged by DePaul graduate student Jill Pressley’s four kills. Following the first timeout, the Red Storm were just outside of reach, trailing 18-16. Led by two kills from Jones, they shifted some momentum and tied the set at 20. The set was ultimately handed to DePaul in a 25-23 shootout, with the final kill earned by Pressley. The Red Storm had 14 combined kills to DePaul’s 15 in the first set, with eight errors compared to the Blue Demon’s six. 

St. John’s came together and led the second set after trailing 5-1 in the opening frame. Jones led the set for the Johnnies, scoring four kills and five assists. The Red Storm looked to have the set won with ease leading 23-17, but faced sloppy play of their own, committing three attack errors on a 4-0 DePaul run before regrouping with a timeout. The set was won by St. John’s off an attack error from Pressley, her third of the set, tying the match at one set each. DePaul’s offensive scheme was limited after committing 10 attack errors in the second. 

St. John’s claimed a win in the third set, one that resulted in 14 different ties. It was a battle until the Johnnies took advantage of back-to-back attack errors from DePaul’s Pressley, bringing them to an 8-3 run to finish out the set. Junior outside hitter Lucrezia Lodi led the Storm to a second straight set with seven kills, while Walther put up six kills. Lodi finished with 14 kills and 10 digs on the night to notch a double-double.  

The Red Storm’s momentum continued in the fourth set, jumping out to a 15-10 lead led by two kills from Jones. DePaul’s fighting efforts capitalizing off three St. John’s attack errors, weren’t enough, bringing the game to an 18-16 St. John’s lead. The Johnnies rallied together to finish off the Blue Demons in a 25-20 fourth-set victory. 

The final set scores were 23-25, 25-21, 25-23 and 25-20. 

Three different Johnnies scored 10 plus kills, while senior setter Wiktoria Kowalczyk continued her outstanding assisting season with 27. The St. John’s backcourt was defended successfully by sophomore libero  Rashanny Solano Smith, who picked up her highest dig total in the past four games with 20. 

St. John’s improved to 6-7 in Big East play, putting the Red Storm at No. 7 in the rankings. They will face off against No. 6  Xavier (9-14, 7-6 Big East) on Nov. 9 in Carnesecca Arena. 

With five Big East matchups remaining, every game moving forward will be crucial for St. John’s if they want to earn a bid to the Big East Tournament on Nov. 27. 

To access the final box score from the St. John’s win, click here