New Jersey City University Athletics

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Sophomore outside hitter KEVIN RODGERS (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) registered his sixth career double-double, totaling 17 kills and 10 digs as New Jersey City University scored a 3-0 win over Bard College, 30-27, 30-25, 30-19, in a North East Collegiate Volleyball Association Metro Division match at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.

 

NJCU improves to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the NECVA Metro, while extending its home court winning streak to five. Bard falls to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the league. The Raptors were playing their first-ever match in Jersey City since March 22, 1995. NJCU now leads the all-time series, 12-2, and has won 12 of the last 13 meetings.  NJCU had 13.0 total blocks in the contest and hit .293 as a team (46-19-92).

 

Rodgers posted a season-high with a match-best 17 winners, and had only three errors in 31 attempts for a .452 hitting percentage. He added 10 digs, three blocks, and two service aces.

 

Sophomore outside hitter THIAGO SIQUEIRA (Newark, NJ/Science) also reeled off a double-double with 10 kills (10-5-20, .250) and 11 digs. The double-double was the third of his career—all coming this season.

 

Senior setter MAURICE WASHINGTON (Orlando, FL/Edgewater (FL) had a terrific all-around match, with 33 assists, eight digs, seven kills and six block assists. He hit .454 (7-2-11).

 

Freshman middle hitter JOSE SILVA (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) had eight assisted blocks and five kills in seven attempts (5-2-7), hitting .429. Senior opposite ROBERT GRIFFITHS (Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens) added seven kills, eight digs, and three blocks. Freshman middle hitter DANIEL CRESPO (Paterson, NJ/Clifton) chipped in three blocks and two aces.

 

Bard received 12 kills from senior outside hitter Dylan Cummins (Aptos, CA/Mount Madonna), and 10 kills and two solo blocks from junior outside hitter Zachary Hamaker (Walnut Creek, CA/Las Lomas). Freshman opposite Luke Bolton (Durango, CO/Durango) had five kills without an error in 13 attempts (.385), adding two block assists. Freshman setter Steven Alday (Phoenix, AZ/St. Mary’s) delivered 28 assists.

 

Bard had leads of 13-5 and 15-7 in game one before NJCU rallied to tie the match at 17-17, after a 10-2 run. Rodgers had two aces during the spurt, and Silva and Griffiths capped it with a combined block. Bard regained a 25-22 edge, but the Knights finished the game on an 8-2 tear. Rodgers had three kills during the run, including an important winner with NJCU leading 28-27, to give the Knights breathing room.

 

NJCU never trailed in the second game, but the Raptors remained close throughout, including 26-24 after a Hamaker kill. But Siqueira sent a perfect tip into an open spot on the floor, and Bard made three consecutive unforced errors, to give NJCU a 29-25 margin. A combined block by Silva and Rodgers sealed the win, 30-25.

 

NJCU dominated the third game, jumping out to a 15-7 lead as Rodgers smashed two kills and had a solo block to account for three straight points. A Siqueira kill made it 19-12, and a block by Crespo and Washington increased the margin to 22-14. Silva combined with Washington and then Rodgers for successive blocks and a 26-19 lead, and Crespo bagged back-to-back aces for a 29-19 cushion. Silva wrapped up the match with a winner.

 

NJCU will return to action on Wednesday, January 31 at 7 p.m. when it visits SUNY-New Paltz in New Paltz, NY for an NECVA Metro Division match. Bard next plays on February 1 at home against Polytechnic University.