Volleyball Recap: Johnstown-Monroe Beats Utica for Their Third Straight Win

Johnstown-Monroe took a three-set defeat the last time they faced off against Utica, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Johnnies had just enough and edged out the Redskins 3-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Johnnies have posted since August 23rd.

It was an exciting match in which no team won back-to-back sets, but at the end of the day Johnstown-Monroe got the one that really mattered. The final score came out to 25-19, 18-25, 25-21, 18-25, 15-9.

Luciana Smith

Digs

09/23/25 vs Utica	37
09/18/25 @ Granville	29
09/16/25 vs Heath	30
09/11/25 vs Newark Catholic	23
09/09/25 vs Watkins Memorial	28
09/06/25 @ Tree of Life Christian	37

Johnstown-Monroe's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Luciana Smith led the charge by getting 37 digs and one assist. That's the most digs Smith has posted over her last six contests. Ava Ruffle was another key player, getting 13 digs and one block.

Utica's loss came despite a true team effort with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Madison Yates, who had 21 digs and three assists. Another player making a difference was Callie Baker, who had 15 digs and two assists.

The win (which was Johnstown-Monroe's third in a row) raised their record to 11-5. As for Utica, they moved to 14-3 with that defeat, which also ended their six-match winning streak.

Coincidentally, Johnstown-Monroe and Utica will both be playing Lakewood the next time they take the court. The Redskins will head out to face the Lancers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, while the Johnnies will host them at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday.