The Pirates put up a fight against Creighton, but were ultimately swept in three sets. Seton Hall has not defeated Creighton since 2014 and has not won a single set against the Bluejays in more than 11 years.
The first set looked promising for the Pirates as they jumped out to an early 7-2 lead. However, Creighton responded with a strong comeback, eventually taking a 12-11 lead over SHU. From there, the score remained close as both teams traded points. Creighton eventually built a 21-17 advantage before closing out the opening set with a 25-19 win.
The second set began with a similar pattern, but this time Creighton took an early 7-2 lead. The Pirates cut the deficit to 13-10, showing signs of a comeback. Despite their efforts, SHU could not overcome the Bluejays’ lead. Creighton maintained control for the remainder of the set, earning a 25-18 victory and taking a 2-0 lead in the match.
The third set proved to be the most competitive of the night. Both teams traded points early, tying at 5-5 before the Pirates began to pull away.
SHU built an 18-13 advantage and looked poised to extend the match. However, Creighton responded with two service aces from Kennedy Cummins and, with two SHU errors, tied the set at 18.
The teams continued to trade blows, with neither side able to establish a comfortable lead. The final set came down to a few crucial points, and two calls late in the set were reviewed before the match came to a close.
Creighton ultimately secured a 25-23 third-set win, completing the 3-0 sweep and handing SHU its first conference loss of the season.
Junior Alondra Villanueva led the Pirates with 14 kills, while sophomore Daria Safian contributed nine and freshman Samantha Shelton added seven. Kennedy Horn finished with four kills. Gwen Adler recorded 26 assists, while Emilee Fuller led the team with two service aces and Rylee Wooldridge added one.
On defense, senior Rylee Nelson led the Pirates with six digs, while Shelton recorded five. Adler finished with four digs, and Villanueva added three. Sadian and Horn also contributed two digs apiece.
The Bluejays’ record improved to 6-7, while the Pirates’ fell to 8-6.
Despite the loss, SHU showed its ability to compete with Creighton, particularly during the third set, when the Pirates held a five-point lead before the Bluejays rallied. The Pirates will look to bounce back next week when they take on Butler in their next BIG EAST matchup.
Niall Stavrvos is a writer for The Setonian’s Sports section. He can be reached at niall.stavros@student.shu.edu.
