WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Mount Ida pulled within a set on Saturday afternoon, wining the third game of their Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's volleyball game 25-23, but the University of Saint Joseph used the same score in their fourth set victory and scored a 3-1 win.

Saint Joseph won the first set 25-22, then held Mount Ida under 20 points with a 25-19 win to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Hillary Kostner (Corona, Calif.) led the way for Mount Ida offensively, registering 11 kills, while also putting up an impressive 14 digs.

Junior setter Nicole Peixoto (New Bedford, Mass.) tallied thirteen assists, twelve digs and four service aces and sophomore libero Kelcey Koolman (Bedford, N.H.) tallied a game-high sixteen digs.

Junior Nicole Batakis (East Longmeadow, Mass.) added five kills in three sets played off the bench for Mount Ida.

For the Blue Jays, Ciara Perez (Manchester, Conn.) killed ten balls, and Emily Vigue (Lebanon, Conn.) had nine kills and four aces.

Defensively, the Blue Jays were led by Elizabeth Tuazon (Mystic, Conn.), who had 14 digs and Megan Williams (Lakeville, Conn.), who dug ten balls while handing out 26 assists in the victory.

USJ had a chance to close out the match in three sets and led 22-21, but Mount Ida pulled even at 23 and a USJ error and kill from Kostner gave the Mustangs the third set. Facing elimination in the fourth set, Mount Ida fought off two match points before Vigue ended things with a kill from Williams.

Mount Ida (3-19, 0-6 GNAC) will travel south again in just two days' time, as they face a GNAC Tri-match at Johnson & Wales University on Monday. The Mustangs will meet the host Wildacts at 10:00 AM and then battle Suffolk University at 12:00 pm in Providence.

Saint Joseph (8-12, 2-4 GNAC) will be at Simmons for a single GNAC game at 4:00 pm on Columbus Day afternoon.