WAYNE, NJ…New Jersey City University freshman middle blocker LIZZELLE CINTRON (Newark, NJ/Elizabeth), the NCAA Division III leader in kills per game, matched the D-III 2004 single-match high for kills by planting 34 kills, and added 30 digs, but it wasn’t enough as NJCU, playing without the services of two of its six starters, dropped a 3-1 decision to William Paterson University at the Rec Center. The game scores were 14-30, 30-24, 23-30, 19-30.
NJCU is now 8-4 overall and has lost back-to-back matches for the first time this season. The Pioneers are 11-6 and have won the last four meetings between the long-time rivals.
The 34 kills by Cintron tied the Division III high this season, and are the most by any player in a four-game match. The 34 kills also breaks her previous season-high of 32 achieved against St. Joseph’s College-Patchogue on September 4. It is the third highest single-match total in school history, only behind the 42 and 35 kills that current assistant coach Cara Strzelczyk amassed in matches during the 2002 season.
Cintron, the only player in school history to record at least 30 kills and 30 digs in a match, achieved that rare feat for a second time this month. It’s also the third time this month she has distributed 30 or more digs in a contest.
She finished with a .318 hitting percentage on a line of 34-13-66, added two blocks, and accounted for 36 total points.
Freshman setter NADIA DaSILVA (Newark, NJ/Science) delivered a career-high 44 assists, served four aces, and had five digs. Freshman middle blocker MEAGAN ROBERTS (Union, NJ/Union) posted a career-high 13 kills (13-10-41).
Freshman GLORINELL PEREZ (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth), who normally starts at outside hitter, was too injured to play offense and missed the first game in its entirety. She mustered the strength to play strictly defensively in the back row as NJCU’s libero in the final three games, and played well, dishing 19 digs.
NJCU senior outside hitter CHRISTINA COCUCCI (Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus) contributed 23 digs and two aces. Sophomore outside hitter JENNA GADINO (West New York, NJ/Memorial) had perhaps the best match of her career by passing 19 digs. Sophomore NATASHA BATISTA (Newark, NJ/North 13th Street Tech) made her first start of the season, filling in at opposite for injured three-year starter LUCILLE VILLAPLANA (Newark, NJ/Barringer) and had 11 digs.
The Pioneers had three players reach double digits in kills, led by junior outside hitter Lauren Shears (Montclair, NJ/Montclair) who had a terrific all-around match with 14 kills and no errors (14-0-59), 24 digs, six service aces, and four blocks.
Junior middle hitter Katie Lord (Rutherford, NJ/Rutherford) added 10 kills (10-2-26) for a .308 hitting percentage, seven solo blocks, and two aces, and freshman outside hitter Michelle Banom (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington) added 10 kills (10-2-32) and two solo blocks.
Junior setter Jessica McKenna (Rutherford, NJ/Rutherford) supplied 27 assists and 16 digs for WPU. Also contributing for the victors were junior opposite Viviane Abreu (Ridgefield, NJ/Ridgefield Memorial) with 17 digs, and junior middle hitter Kerri Lindenthaler (Haskell, NJ/Lakeland Regional) with 16 digs and four blocks (three solo).
NJCU will look to rebound this weekend at the Hunter College Tournament. In the all-day event on Saturday, October 2, NJCU faces host Hunter at 9am, before tangling with St. Joseph’s College-Patchogue at 11am in what will be the third meeting between the schools this season. NJCU won both prior contests. The playoff round of the tournament begins at 3pm.
