New Jersey City University Athletics

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…In one of the greatest victories in school history, New Jersey City University received 24 kills, 21 digs, and seven blocks from sophomore middle blocker LIZZELLE CINTRON (Newark, NJ/Elizabeth) and seven kills and seven blocks from freshman outside hitter SARAH TORRES (Elizabeth, NJ/Science), and rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Rutgers University-Newark, 3-2 (30-22, 27-30, 26-30, 30-27, 15-11), in a New Jersey Athletic Conference women’s volleyball match late Thursday at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.

              

NJCU improves to 6-4 overall and at 2-0 maintain a tie for first place in the NJAC. Rutgers-Newark (9-4, 1-1 NJAC) has its four-match winning streak snapped in the loss. RN leads the all-time series, 31-3, but NJCU has won two of the last three meetings.

              

In a key NJAC battle that took 2:32 to decide and may have playoff implications for the 2005 conference tournament, the Gothic Knights took advantage of one of the largest home crowds in school history and rallied from a 26-22 deficit in game four, scoring eight of the final nine points to force a decisive fifth game.

 

“Having a young team, this match means a lot,” said second-year head coach CHRISTOPHER FELICIANO. “At the beginning of the season we started off slow against some good competition. The team was trying to find an identity. Through perseverance, tonight is a glimpse of what I hope is a bright, promising future for this program. Anytime you can beat a great program like Rutgers-Newark, especially after a one-year absence from the NJAC, is something very special.”

              

Cintron, who currently leads the NJAC in kills per game, blocks, blocks per game, points, points per game, and hitting percentage, proved why she may be the front-runner for NJAC Player of the Year honors, punishing the Scarlet Raiders with 24 kills and a .442 hitting percentage (24-5-43). She was spectacular on defense, delivering 21 digs, and rejecting seven blocks (five assisted), with two aces.

She has 995 career kills, and should become only the second woman at NJCU to reach the 1000 kill mark on Saturday. She also is 12 blocks shy of the career record of 203.

 

Freshman outside hitter JACQUELINE LeBLANC (Westfield, NJ/Westfield), the reigning New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week, contributed 12 kills and eight digs.

 

However, freshman outside hitter SARAH TORRES (Elizabeth, NJ/Science) may have been equally as valuable in the final games, finishing the match with seven blocks (five assisted), seven kills, and seven digs. Sophomore middle blocker MEAGAN ROBERTS (Union, NJ/Union) stuffed six blocks (three assisted), with eight kills.

 

Freshman setter SOFIA GUTIERREZ (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) delivered 26 assists and eight digs, and sophomore setter NADIA DaSILVA (Newark, NJ/Science) distributed 20 assists, with three blocks.

 

Sophomore outside hitter GLORINELL PEREZ (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) defended a match-high 23 digs, with three aces and two blocks. Freshman libero LYANELLY NEGRON (Union, NJ/Union) had 16 digs.

 

Rutgers-Newark sophomore middle Julie Pape (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin Senior) had 17 kills (17-4-42), hit .310, and added three aces and five blocks for the Raiders. Junior middle hitter Jennifer Snyder (Gibbsboro, NJ/Eastern Regional) landed 15 kills (15-5-30) for a .333 percentage and chipped in four blocks.

 

Junior setter Sheena Eldred (Fairfax, VA/Fairfax) tallied 43 assists, 11 digs, and four aces, while senior libero Robin Pearce (Shadow Hills, CA/Village Christian) defended 18 digs with two aces. Sophomore outside hitter Allison Becker (Fort Mitchell, KY/Beechwood) and freshman defensive specialist Nazly Hasanizadeh (Katy, TX/Alief Hastings) combined for 25 digs.

 

Newark led 15-12 in game one before the Knights reeled off 15 consecutive points to pull in front 25-17 and won the opener easily, 30-22.

 

NJCU led for most of the second game, owning advantages of 15-9, 19-11, and 21-13. After a RN attack error, the Knights were within points of a 2-0 lead, as they led 25-14. However, the Raiders slowly chipped away and scored 16 of the final 18 points in game two, winning 30-27. A kill by Pape broke a 26-26 tie, before two attack errors, followed by another Pape kill sealed the game for the Raiders.

 

MEAGAN ROBERTS" src="/images/wvball/2005/9/23/09-23-04%20Meagan%20Roberts%206.JPG" width=150 align=left border=0>NJCU led for the beginning stages of the third game before a kill b y Snyder tied the match at 16-16. RN ran off a total of seven straight points, to pull in front 22-16. Consecutive kills by Cintron squared the game at 23-23 and 24-24, but two kills by Snyder gave RN a 27-15 lead and a kill by Hasanizadeh allowed Newark to win the game 30-26, to move in front, 2-1.

 

The match outlook was bleak for NJCU in game four, as Newark led late, 24-20, and 26-22. The Knights again played comeback kids, as a kill by Cintron, another kill by Torres, and two hitting errors by the visitors put NJCU up 27-26. After another error and a bad set by Newark made it 29-27, Torres stuffed a solo block, as the Knights pulled out game four, 30-27.

 

In the decisive fifth game, NJCU pulled in front 4-1 after a combined block by Torres and Cintron. The Raiders rallied and tied the match four times, including 11-11, after a Snyder kill. However, Cintron, who had four kills in the final game, put NJCU in front for good with a blast, and consecutive kills by Torres and Roberts, made it 14-11. A RN attack sailed long for match point.

 

NJCU is back in action on Saturday, September 24 in the WIAC Invitational at Farmingdale State University. The Knights will play three matches, including St. Joseph’s College (LI) and College of St. Elizabeth.