BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The Pratt Institute women's volleyball team returned to their winning ways picking up a pair of victories over borough foes St. Joseph's University (Brooklyn) and Brooklyn College in the Battle of Brooklyn Tri-Match on Saturday afternoon at the Activities Resource Center.
In the opening match with Clinton Hill rivals St. Joseph's (3-5), eight different Cannoneers combined for 38 kills in a season-best .405 hitting effort also serving up a season-high 21 aces. Emily Sontag had eight kills on .467 hitting, with three aces and a block. Olivia Julich had a match-best nine kills on .471 hitting with a block.
Zeynep Akgol and Colleen Russell posted six kills apiece with Akgol hitting .625 and Russell hitting .500. Gabby Genduso handed out a season-best 30 assists while matching a career-high seven aces. Emma Leavey chipped in five aces.
The gold-and-black led nearly wire-to-wire in the contest, never trailing in the first and third sets in a 25-13, 25-18, 25-12 victory.
With Brooklyn (5-7) also defeating St. Joseph's in the second match of the day, the Cannoneers and Bulldogs met in the final match for borough bragging rights. In a close battle that featured 32 ties and 21 lead changes, Pratt (5-7) prevailed in four sets, 25-19, 23-25, 25-15, 26-24.
Josie Johnson registered a 13-kill, 12-dig double-double to go along with seven aces and three blocks. Julich slammed 12 kills on .500 hitting and stuffed seven blocks. Akgol added seven kills, 17 digs and three blocks. Sontag and Russell had six kills each with Sontag bringing up a match-high 18 digs and Russell adding five blocks. Genduso dished out 40 assists.
Pratt took control midway through the opening set for a comfortable win before both teams battled in the second. After the visitors crept ahead 24-21, the Cannoneers managed to wipe out two set points before Brooklyn leveled the match and one-set all.
The gold-and-black raced out to a 6-0 lead to open the third and never looked back for a 2-1 set advantage. The fourth-and-final set saw 14 ties and 11 lead changes with neither team ahead by more than three throughout the frame. Brooklyn built small leads late at 22-20 and 24-23, but the Cannoneers rattled off the final three points capped off by a Julich kill to seal the victory.
Pratt has a week off before traveling to William Paterson University for a tri-match with Farmingdale State College on Saturday, October 7. First serve is at 11 a.m.
