New Jersey City University Athletics

 

 

KINGS POINT, NY…Sophomore middle blocker LIZZELLE CINTRON (Newark, NJ/Elizabeth) registered 23 kills to become New Jersey City University’s all-time leader in kills in only her second year, and led NJCU to its 11^th win in 12 matches, with a 3-1 (30-18, 30-26, 23-30, 32-30) victory over the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Liebertz Gymnasium.

              

NJCU improves to 15-5 overall, and regains a 7-6 lead in the all-time series, as the schools were meeting for the first time since 2001. USMMA (10-5) lost for the first time in seven homes matches this season, and had its five-match winning streak snapped. NJCU was victorious despite its second lowest hitting percentage this season (.113).

 

Cintron entered the match with 1122 kills, and with 23 in the contest, eclipsing the all-time kills record of 1143 achieved by Melissa Pablos in 391 games from 2000-03. Remarkably, Cintron, now with 1145 kills, took control of the most prestigious volleyball record at NJCU in only 186 games, accomplishing the feat in less than half the time it took Pablos.

 

Record-breaking kills are nothing new for Cintron. She graduated high school in 2004 with 1198 kills in her prep career, the second most in state history.

 

Cintron added 14 digs and three blocks, including one solo, and hit .271 (23-7-59). With 153 solo blocks, she is only five shy of that career record. She already is the all-time leader in total blocks and assisted blocks.

 

Sophomore middle blocker MEAGAN ROBERTS (Union, NJ/Union) landed 14 kills (14-9-33) and four blocks (three solo). Freshman outside hitter JACQUELINE LeBLANC (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) collected 13 kills, with 17 digs and two aces. Sophomore outside hitter GLORINELL PEREZ (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) finished with 23 digs. Freshman outside hitter SARAH TORRES (Elizabeth, NJ/Science) chipped in seven kills, eight digs, three aces and two blocks.

 

Freshman setter SOFIA GUTIERREZ (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) delivered 23 assists and 15 digs. Sophomore setter NADIA DaSILVA (Newark, NJ/Science) contributed 27 assists. Freshman libero #LYANELLY NEGRON# (Union, NJ/Union) had nine digs and three aces.

 

Senior middle blocker Janine Wachter (Smithtown, NY/Hauppauge) matched Cintron with 23 kills (23-2-49) and hit .429 with 18 digs, three blocks and two aces. Senior outside hitter Holly Cummings (Alexandria, IN/Alexandria) finished with 16 kills (16-4-34), hit .353 and had 11 digs and three aces. Sophomore setter Kit Jablonski (Portland, OR/Lincoln) had 25 assists and 21 digs.

 

After easily winning game one, NJCU built a 24-18 lead in game two, en route to a 30-26 win. In game three, USMMA led 15-12, before the Knights knotted the match at 15-15. With the match still deadlocked, 21-21, the Mariners scored five straight points to pull in front, 26-21, and scored nine of the final 11 points to win the frame, 30-23.

 

USMMA threatened to force a fifth game. With NJCU leading 21-18 and 24-21, the Mariners scored five consecutive points to take a 26-24 advantage. However, NJCU was too much down the stretch, and Cintron pounded two late kills, including the record breaker, and NJCU sealed the fourth game and the match, 32-30.

 

NJCU is back in action on Friday, October 7 with a 6 p.m. non-conference match at City College of New York.