Box Score
INDIANAPOLIS – Butler blanked the St. Johns Red Storm 3-0 Friday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse to improve to 16-10 on the year. The 'Dawgs now own a 5-5 record in the BIG EAST and have won three-straight matches.
Two Bulldogs recorded double-doubles in the match. Junior
Makayla Ferguson recorded 29 assists to go along with a team-high 13 digs for her 10th double-double of the year. Meanwhile,
Whitney Beck continued her hot stretch of play, tallying 11 kills and 10 digs. Friday nights match marked Beck's fifth double-double of the year, four coming in her last five matches.
Reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week
Anna Logan led BU offensively with 14 kills, but it was the Bulldog's play at the net that put pressure on the Red Storm all night.
Kai Jarema and Ferguson tied for the team-high with eight blocks apiece, while
Bri Lilly chipped in five of her own.
Set one proved to be the closest contested match of the night as the Bulldogs secured the final three points, topping the Red Storm 25-23. The back-and-forth affair featured 12 ties and four lead changes. With the 'Dawgs holding onto a 18-15 lead, St. Johns stormed back to take the lead by scoring the next four points. After
Bri Lilly evened the set at 23-23,
Whitney Beck finished off the Red Storm with her sixth kill of the set to take a 1-0 lead.
BU took a commanding 2-0 lead with a dominating performance in the second set, where they led by as much as 10 points. With the St. Johns' setter leaving midway through the set with an injury, the 'Dawgs took control of defensive play at the net. Seven of the team-total 15 blocks came in the second set, with Lilly leading the charge with 4 block assists, while Ferguson and Jarema both added three apiece. With a 20-10 lead, the Bulldogs staved off a late surge by the Red Storm and closed out the set 25-20. Offensively, Logan paced Butler with six kills.
To begin the third set, both teams traded points early and were knotted up 9-9. A couple points later, the Bulldogs built themselves a four-point cushion by scoring three straight points. A balanced scoring attack kept BU in command the rest of the set, and a
Bri Lilly kill finished off St. Johns 25-19.
The win marks a season sweep of St. Johns for the Bulldogs, who return to action tomorrow with a home match against the Seton Hall Pirates. Fans are encouraged to come celebrate Annual Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night. The match is set to begin at 6 p.m.
