JOLIET, Ill. -- Backed by a strong attack, the University of St. Francis volleyball team polished off their second consecutive sweep and third win in a row, ousting Governors State University 3-0 in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference action on Tuesday night.  The 25-19, 25-23, 27-25 three set win ups USF's record to 7-9 on the year and 4-2 in league play.

St. Francis gained the first advantage in the opening set as the Saints soared in front 13-7 in the first 20 rallies of the match. Governors State attacking errors sparked USF's lead into the set before consecutive kills from Emma Rodriguez, Alyssa Teske and Cadence Wodrich added to the run to force a Jaguar timeout.  More errors from the visitors kept the USF offense running, as the Saints maintained a six-point cushion up to 23-17.  Two GSU kills would pull the Jaguars to within four points, but a strong kill from Rodriguez followed by a GSU attacking error would finish the set and give St. Francis the 25-19 win.

The Saints fell behind in the second set, seeing the Jaguars (3-14, 2-3 CCAC) build an early 16-7 lead forcing USF to call a timeout. A 10-1 scoring burst after the break, fueled by kills from Riley Hungate and Delani Kirstein, propelled the Saints forward, eventually clawing back to tie the game at 17-17.  The two teams would then trade punches, producing four more ties, before the Saints would rally to tie the set at 23-23.  An attacking error from GSU followed by a kill from Hungate accounted for the last two points in the frame, allowing the Saints to pull out a 25-23 second set win.

In the final set, Governors State scored early and often, with the Jaguars jumping out to a quick 6-0 advantage.  The Saints remained composed and were able to author a reciprocal run, scoring 14 of the next 21 points to knot things up at 13-13, before taking their first lead of the night one point later on a powerful kill by Hungate.  USF would hold that lead at and win the race to 20, but GSU would not relent and came surging back with five straight points to swing the advantage back to their favor at 22-20.  Three subsequent kills from Emma Rodriguez ignited St. Francis' push to the sweep, with the freshman lighting a 6-3 run with the final point of the 27-25 third set win coming on a Mya Broadway service ace.

Hungate led all St. Francis attackers, posting 12 kills to pair with 11 digs.  Rodriguez recorded 11 kills, while Broadway had 14 digs.  Talia Messana (12 assists), Alyssa Teske (11) and Landry Hall (10) split setting duties in the win, and Ann Simon (3) was one of three Saints with multiple service aces.  Wodrich had one solo and two block assists with two kills in the middle.

Up Next
The Saints will take the court again on Thursday, Sept. 25 when they travel to Bourbonnais, Ill. to face the Tigers of Olivet Nazarene University.  The CCAC match is set to begin at 7 pm in McHie Arena.

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