INDIANAPOLIS - The Butler Bulldogs fell to the St. John's Red Storm 3-2 on Friday evening. With the loss, the Bulldogs slide to 10-13 overall and 4-7 in the BIG EAST. The Red Storm improve to 17-7 overall and 7-4 in conference.
Bulldog Bites
- Sarah Kempf recorded 42 assists, five blocks, five digs, and two kills.
- Jersey Loyer posted a career high of 27 digs and two assists.
- Chase Lemming registered 15 kills, including four in the second set. She also collected two blocks.
- Raegan Durbin tallied 14 kills, including five in the third set. She also posted 14 digs and a block.
- Karen Dutro totaled 10 kills and four blocks.
On the Record with Head Coach Kyle Shondell
"Unbelievable, instant classic match in Hinkle Fieldhouse tonight. We've had a stretch of volleyball for our program where we haven't played up to our own standards, and that wasn't the case tonight. We played well enough to compete with anybody in our league tonight, and nobody deserved to lose that match. Unfortunately, we happened to do so. Absolutely thrilled with our serving performance. Beyond pleased with
Jersey Loyer's effort tonight. I thought she was absolutely terrific, playing up against one of the best liberos in the BIG EAST Conference. I thought she raised her level. It was excellent for us. Chase, who continues to battle some injuries and challenges with her health, came in ready to go, and she played really, really well.
Raegan Durbin was a star. So as mad as I am, it's tough for me to be upset at my players because we played great tonight."
Set 1 St. John's (25-23)
Both teams opened the match trading points back and forth. The Bulldogs went on a 5-2 run driven by kills from Dutro and
Elise Ward, which put them in the lead, 15-14, over the Red Storm at the halfway point of the set. Both teams continued to trade points back and forth, with Butler tying the score 23-23. However, St. John's went on to score two more to take set one 25-23.
Set 2 Butler (25-23)
Both teams began the second set in similar fashion to the first, keeping the score close with St. John's and Butler tied at 12-12. The Red Storm went on a 3-0 run to take the lead 15-12 at the midway point of the set. Butler continued to pressure St. John's in the late moments of the frame behind a 5-2 run with kills from Durbin, which put the Red Storm up three. Then Butler went on an outstanding 5-0 run behind kills from Dutro, Durbin and a set-winning ace from
Sarah Kempf.
Set 3 Butler (25-23)
The Bulldogs began the third set trading points with the Red Storm. Butler went on a 5-1 run driven by kills from Lemming and
Zoe McDonald and an ace from
Marin Thaxton to allow the Bulldogs to take a 15-11 edge at the halfway point. St. John's continued to pressure Butler in the late moments of the set. However, the Bulldogs claimed set three 25-23.
Set 4 St. John's (25-21)
St. John's began the fourth set trading points with Butler in the early moments of the frame. The Red Storm took a 15-11 edge over the Bulldogs at the midway point of the fourth set. Butler responded with a 7-2 run behind three consecutive kills from McDonald, along with kills from Lemming and Kempf. St. John's answered with a 7-0 run of its own and claimed set four 25-21.
Set 5 St. John's (20-18)
Butler jumped out to a 7-4 lead over St. John's behind an ace from
Aesha Vogt and a kill from Kempf to begin the fifth and final set of the night. The Red Storm crawled back into the match and tied the score 9-9. Butler then went on a 3-1 run driven by two kills from Dutro that put the Bulldogs up one. St. John's went ahead and tied the match at 12-12. Both teams began to trade points back and forth, tying the fifth set score at both 15 and 18. Butler fought hard in the late moments of the set, but it was St. John's who took set five 20-18 and the overall match victory.
Up Next
Butler returns to action Saturday, hosting Seton Hall at Hinkle Fieldhouse. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. The Bulldogs will then travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, to match up against Xavier on Wednesday, Nov. 4. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.
