New Jersey City University Athletics

 

 

 

MAHWAH, NJ…Junior opposite ROBERT GRIFFITHS (Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens) spent half of Thursday in the hospital with symptoms of fatigue. He concluded Thursday by having the match of his life. Griffiths blasted a career high 21 kills and helped the #15 ranked Gothic Knights likely lock up their first conference playoff berth since 2001, as for the second time this season the New Jersey City University men’s volleyball team rallied from a 2-1 deficit against Ramapo College, to defeat the Roadrunners, 3-2 (25-30, 30-19, 20-30, 30-27, 15-12), on the road, late Thursday in a North East Collegiate Volleyball Association Metro Division match at the Bill Bradley Center.

               

In the match, junior setter MAURICE WASHINGTON (Orlando, FL/Edgewater (FL)) became just the second men’s player in school history to register 3,000 career assists, as the 2005 First-Team All-NECVA standout upped his three-year total to 3,045 with a season-high 51 helpers.

               

The Gothic Knights improve to 12-4 on the season and 5-3 in the Metro Division, by winning for the 12^th time in 13 matches. Ramapo falls to 19-8 and 8-5 NECVA Metro. NJCU is now 2-0 this season against the Roadrunners, after also posting a come-from-behind, 3-2 win against RCNJ on February 18, a match the Knights trailed 2-1.

               

The top three teams in each of four NECVA divisions receive automatic berths into the 16-team conference tournament. While NJCU has not mathematically solidified the third spot, the Knights now MAURICE WASHINGTON" src="/images/mvball/2006/3/10/02-02-06%20Maurice%20Washington%208.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>own two wins over RCNJ this season and a win over nationally-ranked SUNY-New Paltz, while the Roadrunners were 0-2 against New Paltz this year. If NJCU can defeat Polytechnic University twice and Yeshiva University once, the Knights will officially wrap up the third automatic bid in the division.

               

NJCU plays a home and home series against Polytechnic University on March 10 (in Brooklyn) and March 11 (in Jersey City), and has never lost to the Blue Jays. NJCU is 15-0 all-time in the series with 13 sweeps. Meanwhile, NJCU hosts Yeshiva on March 19, a team it is 17-0 all-time against, while sweeping every match.

               

After spending the morning in the hospital, Griffiths unleashed his fury on the court, with 21 kills and only four errors in 38 attacks for a .447 hitting percentage. He added a match-high 15 digs to record his fifth double-double of the season. Prior to the match, he had never had more than 17 kills in the previous 81 matches of his career and his 2006 season high was 16. He also moved into sixth place in school history with 794 kills, passing Nick Mastrella (789 kills, 1997-99, 01) on the all-time list,

 

“It was a really bad way to start the day, but what happened at Ramapo made it all better,” said Griffiths, who ranks sixth in the nation in hitting percentage. “I felt weak earlier in the day, but defeating Ramapo, the way we did, and getting into the playoffs was my medicine. How we finished made up for everything. I told myself at the hospital if I got a chance to make it to the match and we had a chance to make the playoffs, I was going to give it everything I had. It was meant to be.”

 

Washington delivered 51 assists, and added nine digs and five assisted blocked. Freshman outside KEVIN RODGERS" src="/images/mvball/2006/3/10/02-02-06%20Kevin%20Rodgers%2012.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>hitter KEVIN RODGERS (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) landed 14 kills (14-6-32, .250) and added 10 digs for his third career double-double.

               

NJCU also improved to 12-1 this season with junior middle blocker DAMON LaSALLE (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) in the lineup, as the conference leader in hitting percentage smacked 13 kills and a .435 attack rate (13-3-23) in the match, while rejecting seven blocks.

 

Freshman middle blocker DAVIE INGRAM (Newark, NJ/Science) had a huge impact in the match, as he stuffed a career high nine blocks (four solo, five assisted). Sophomore libero EMILIO MINIER (Bogota, NJ/Teaneck) had nine digs.

 

For Ramapo, freshman middle hitter Shane Donohue (Freehold Township, NJ/Freehold) hit .523 with a match-high 27 kills (27-4-44), adding 14 digs and six blocks. Sophomore outside hitter David Ross (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) had 16 kills (16-10-36, .167) and nine digs, and sophomore opposite Brendan Whitford (Lyndhurst, NJ/St. Peter’s Prep) had 14 kills, 12 digs and four blocks, but hit negative for the match (14-17-49).

 

Freshman setter Jairo Sierra (Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) and junior setter Jordan Roldan (Jersey City, NJ/St. Peter’s Prep) each finished with 33 assists for RCNJ.

 

After Ramapo won the first game behind seven kills by Donohue, NJCU easily won the second game as Griffiths landed five kills without an error in 10 swings (.500).

 

Ramapo looked like it would win the match after hitting .351 in game three (21-8-37) and claiming a 10-point decision, 30-20.

 

Ramapo led for most of game four, before NJCU rallied late to force a fifth and deciding game. Key for the Knights was Ingram, who tallied all four of his solo blocks in the fourth game, with NJCU trailing. Griffiths had six kills in the game, and Rodgers added five, while LaSalle landed three winners in five attempts.

 

In game five, NJCU jumped in front early and never allowed the Roadrunners to catch them, winning, 15-12. Griffiths had three kills in the final game, while LaSalle and Rodgers each added two kills without an error.

 

NJCU will visit Polytechnic University on Friday, March 10 at 8 p.m. in Brooklyn, NY.