New Jersey City University Athletics

 

NEW YORK, NY…Junior middle blocker KEVIN RODGERS (Clifton, NJ/Clifton)­ became the first New Jersey City University men’s volleyball player to record at least 30 kills in a match in almost 10 years, notching 32 kills and 22 digs as the Gothic Knights rallied to defeat City College of New York, 3-2 (30-28, 21-30, 28-30, 30-27, 15-12) in a non-conference match on Thursday night at the Nat Holman Gymnasium.

               

NJCU (5-3) wins its fourth consecutive match and fifth in six outings, while CCNY (1-6) losses its third straight. NJCU leads the all-time series, 17-5, including seven straight between the schools, but for the first time during that span, the Knights did not sweep the Beavers.

               

Rodgers finished with career highs of 32 kills (32-21-71, .155) and 22 digs and added three blocks and did not make a reception error in 26 attempts. He was dominant in the fifth game, hitting .714 with six kills (6-1-7). He had eight kills in game one, seven in game two, six in game three and five in game four.

 

It is the first 30-kill performance by an NJCU player since the rally scoring era began in 2001. Rodgers finished with the 20^th double-double of his career and third of the season, notching 15 or more kills in a match for the fourth time in seven contests this year.

               

The 32 kills were the third most in a match in school history, only behind Hall of Famer Satsay Thongvichith, who had 36 against College of Mount Saint Vincent (March 16, 1996) and 33 against United States Merchant Marine Academy on February 24, 1998—the last instance of 30 kills. Both of those achievements were in five-game matches. The four-game record, and only other 30-kill match in school history, was by Billy Narath against Bard College (31; March 15, 1994).

 

NJCU freshman setter JUSTIN BEAUMONT (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) provided a career-high 63 assists, with seven digs, two aces and two blocks as the Knights bagged 71 kills as a team. CHRIS EDRA" src="/images/mvball/2008/2/8/01-26-08%20Chris%20Edra%2021.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>Freshman outside hitter CHRIS EDRA (Edison, NJ/J.P. Stevens) had his fourth double-double of the year, notching a career-high 17 kills (17-11-54, .111) and 11 digs, and only had one reception error in 36 chances.

 

Junior opposite THIAGO SIQUEIRA (Newark, NJ/Science) nearly had a triple-double with 12 kills, 12 digs and seven blocks for his 15^th career double-double. Siqueira only had eight blocks in seven matches coming in before nearly doubling his previous career high of four.

 

Also for NJCU, freshman middle blocker KENDELL BASS (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) stuffed a career-best 10 blocks (two solo, eight assisted)—the 16^th time in school history a player has reached double figures in blocks. Freshman middle blocker SHAWN McCORMICK (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) hit .429 with four kills (4-1-7) and five assisted blocks. Sophomore libero FELIPE SIQUEIRA (Newark, NJ/Science) defended 14 digs.

 

In defeat, three CCNY players had double figures in kills, led by freshman outside hitter Christopher Aviles (New York, NY/Fort Hamilton) with 19 kills (19-8-46, .239), 11 digs and four blocks, while sophomore outside hitter Ratmir Gorelik (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) added 17 kills (17-7-41, .244). Senior opposite Ricardo Chincha (Lima, Peru/Port Chester) finished with 18 digs and 10 kills.

 

Also for the Beavers, junior setter Carlos Matute (Ecuador/Grover Cleveland) tallied 52 assists and 12 digs. Senior Rafael Jerez (Bronx, NY/Randolph) defended 19 digs.

 

In a sign of how the night would go, NJCU had a 17-10 lead in game one on a Rodgers kill and continued to lead by eight (26-18), after Rodgers and McCormick combined for back-to-back blocks. CCNY chipped away with a 7-2 run, drawing within three, 28-25, before Rodgers slammed a winner for a 29-25 lead. Two NJCU attack errors and a Gorelik kill trimmed the visitors lead to 29-28 before CCNY had a service error on game point (30-28).

 

In game two, Aviles and Gorelik combined for nine kills and a line of 9-2-19 (.368) to seize a commanding 20-9 lead and prevailed 30-21.

 

Game three was neck-and-neck for most of the way, featuring 14 ties, including 25-25. An NJCU attack error followed by a Gorelik kill and another Knight miscue made it 28-25 CCNY. NJCU rallied to tie it at 28-28, aided by kills from THIAGO SIQUEIRA and Edra, before CCNY won the final two points, taking the game on a Matute ace.

 

Game four was again tight, with CCNY attempting to win the match, 3-1. NJCU had leads of 23-21 and 25-23, but each time CCNY forced a tie. The match was even, 26-26, before an Edra kill and CCNY ball handling error made it 28-26. The Beavers closed within 28-27, before kills by Edra and Rodgers forced a fifth game.

 

And in that fifth game, NJCU’s offense awoke, hitting .400, with 12 kills (12-4-20). While Rodgers had six kills, Edra bagged four and was errorless (4-0-7, .571). It was the only game NJCU hit above .230 as a team. CCNY led early, before Rodgers forced ties of 7-7, 8-8 and 9-9 with his winners. After CCNY evened it at 10-10, a Rodgers kill followed by two Beaver attack errors allowed the Knights to open a 13-10 advantage. CCNY cut the margin to 13-12 in the decisive frame, but Edra slammed back-to-back

winners to seal the victory, 15-12.

 

NJCU will return to action on Saturday, February 9 at 9 a.m. when it hosts the 14^th annual Gothic Knight Invitational at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. Participating in the tournament will be Elms College, #10 Medaille College, Newbury College—the defending champions—along with Southern Vermont College and Villa Julie College.