Butler pushed St. John’s to the limit in a five-set BIG EAST match at Hinkle Fieldhouse but fell 20-18 in the deciding set. The Bulldogs showed improved form, winning the second and third sets, but couldn’t close out the fourth or fifth.

By the Numbers
  • Butler: 10-13 overall, 4-7 in BIG EAST play.
  • St. John’s: 17-7 overall, 7-4 in BIG EAST play.
  • Sarah Kempf recorded 42 assists; Jersey Loyer led Butler with 27 digs.
  • Chase Lemming had 15 kills, and Raegan Durbin added 14 kills and 14 digs.
Yes, But

The loss was a setback in the standings, but coach Kyle Shondell said Butler played well enough to compete with any team in the conference. He praised the Bulldogs’ serving and highlighted strong performances from Loyer, Lemming and Durbin.

What’s Next

Butler hosts Seton Hall on Saturday at 7 p.m., then visits Xavier on Wednesday, Nov. 4, for a 6 p.m. first serve.

Bottom Line

Butler couldn’t turn a hard-fought, high-level performance into a win; the challenge now is carrying that form into two upcoming conference matchups.