New Jersey City University Athletics

 

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Senior middle blocker LIZZELLE CINTRON (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) registered her 90^th career double-double, and moved into 18^th place in Division I, II and III history in career kills with 2,441, and junior outside hitter JACQUELINE LeBLANC had 16 kills and three aces as New Jersey City University won its 33^rd consecutive home court match, holding off a valiant Hunter College team, 3-2 (30-23, 24-30, 30-9, 27-30, 15-6) in a non-conference match at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.

 

NJCU (9-1) wins its sixth straight match and is now 33-0 at home in Cintron’s career. The match was NJCU’s 2007 home opener. Hunter, the 2006 City University of New York Athletic Conference champions, falls to 2-4 overall, but still leads the all-time series, 6-5.

 

Cintron finished with 23 kills (23-8-49) for a .306 hitting percentage, added 14 digs and six blocks (two solo). She entered the day 20^th in women’s collegiate volleyball history, and passed Division II Pace University’s Andreea Cotoranu (2,411, 2000-03) and Findlay University’s Deanne Behnfeldt (2,437, 1998-01) on the NCAA’s all-time, all-divisions list. Cintron needs 18 more kills for fourth place in Division III history.

 

ALEX JOHANESEN" src="/images/wvball/2007/9/13/09-05-07%20Alex%20Johanesen%203.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>Freshman setter ALEX JOHANESEN (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) delivered a career-high 46 assists, adding seven digs and two aces, while LeBlanc hit .211 with the 16 winners and seven digs.

 

NJCU also received 10 kills apiece from junior opposite SARAH TORRES (Elizabeth, NJ/Science) and junior outside hitter JENNIFER CARVALHO (Rahway, NJ/Rahway). Torres hit .273 (10-4-22) while Carvalho served four aces and added seven digs. Senior libero GLORINELL PEREZ (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) had 11 digs. Sophomore middle blocker JENNIFER HATCH (Paterson, NJ/Mary Help of Christians Academy) chipped in nine kills and hit .375 (9-3-16).

 

Hunter received a solid effort from senior middle blocker Shanita Scott (Pelham, NY/Pelham Memorial), who had 13 kills (13-2-22), hit .500, and contributed four blocks. Senior middle blocker Yasmine Daniels (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood) provided seven kills (7-2-18, .278) and five blocks. Junior outside hitter/setter Amanda Kamm (Dix Hills, NY/Hills West) finished with 18 assists, eight kills and four blocks and senior outside hitter Safiya Solomon (Mount Vernon, NY/Pelham Memorial) added eight kills and a team-high nine digs. Senior setter Melissa Hernandez (Ridgewood, NY/Aviation) chipped in 22 assists and seven digs.

 

In the decisive fifth game, NJCU jumped out to a 6-1 lead on two kills by Cintron, and winners by Carvalho and Torres. That lead extended to 10-2 when LeBlanc had two kills, including one on a tip over a double block, and Johanesen’s over ball landed for her only kill of the night. After a back-row kill by LeBlanc made it 14-6, Torres finished the match with a winner.

 

NJCU returns to action on Tuesday, September 18 when it hosts Montclair State University. The starting time for that match has been switched to 8:15 p.m. from an original 7 p.m. first serve. Hunter next plays on September 15 in a CUNYAC tri-match with City Tech and Baruch College.