New Jersey City University Athletics

BOX SCORE vs. Hilbert
BOX SCORE vs. Stevenson

STEVENSON, MD…Sophomore outside hitter MARLEY PENA-GUZMAN (Atlanta, GA/Central Gwinnett (GA)) pounded out 31 kills in two matches as New Jersey City University split a men's volleyball tri-match hosted by Stevenson University on Saturday. 

NJCU trailed Hilbert College, 2-1, before rallying for a 3-2 victory over the Hawks, winning 30-25, 22-30, 26-30, 30-22, 15-7. In the nightcap, the Gothic Knights took the opening set against Stevenson, before the Mustangs defeated NJCU, 3-1 (25-30, 30-23, 30-23, 30-25). NJCU is 12-7 overall on the season after a 1-1 performance.

*****MATCH 1: NJCU def. HILBERT, 3-2 (30-25, 22-30, 26-30, 30-22, 15-7)*****

NJCU, which improved to 12-6, had 15.5 blocks as a team in the five sets; Hilbert dropped to 3-9 on the year.

Senior outside hitter KEVIN RODGERS (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) came off the bench to provide 11 kills (11-6-23, .217), three blocks and two aces.

In a 6-2 rotation, sophomore setter JORGE RODRIGUEZ (Havana, Cuba/Memorial) dished 26 assists and five digs with four kills (4-0-7, .571) in four games and junior defensive specialist/setter FELIPE SIQUEIRA (Newark, NJ/Science) finished with 20 assists and eight digs.

Hilbert received 19 kills from senior outside hitter Robert Gerhard (St. Angola, NY/Lake Shore), while sophomore middle hitter Dan Wolfe (Rochester, NY/Irondequoit) tallied 17 kills, hit .273 (17-5-44), nine digs and three blocks. Sophomore outside hitter RJ Sykora (Stow, OH/Stow-Munroe Falls) had 11 digs and six kills. Freshman setter Vincent Amico (Buffalo, NY/Timon) provided 45 assists and nine digs.

Trailing 2-sets-to-1, NJCU exploded for 20 kills out of its 30 points in the fourth set, hitting .357 (20-5-42). The frame remained tight, with NJCU ahead 19-17 before kills by freshman middle blocker DANNY KOCHANSKI (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) and Pena, followed by a Rodgers ace, made it 22-17. Back-to-back kills by Rodriguez and Bryant made it 25-19, before NJCU won by eight points.

In the fifth set, the Hawks were held to a negative attack percentage (4-8-18, -.222), but NJCU only led 9-7 before Bryant bagged a kill and the Knights concluded the match by scoring the final six points as Hilbert was forced into four attack errors and a reception error. Bryant and Pena teamed for a block for an 11-7 lead before Rodriguez landed an ace at 13-7. On match point, Bryant and Pena stuffed a shot from Gerhard, and NJCU won 15-7.

*****MATCH 2: STEVENSON def. NJCU, 3-1 (25-30, 30-20, 30-23, 30-25)*****

In a match that may have lasting impact on the at-large picture in the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association playoffs later this season, Stevenson defeated NJCU for the second time this season and fourth time in the last five meetings between the schools. The match turned into a rejection demonstration as Stevenson collected 16.0 team blocks while NJCU posted 13.0.

The Mustangs improved to 11-6 on the year, having also defeated NJCU, 3-0, at the Gothic Knight Invitational in Jersey City on February 7. The all-time series between the clubs is evened at 5-5.

Freshman setter Dean Massimini (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) led the Mustangs with a double-double of 52 assists and 10 digs. Sophomore outside/middle hitter Jason Matkowski (Warminster, PA/William Tennent) tallied 19 kills, hit .318 (19-5-44), and chipped in eight blocks (six assisted) and three aces.

In defeat, Pena slammed 16 kills and hit .316 (16-4-38) with two blocks. Rodgers added another 11 kills (11-9-35, .057), increasing his career kills total to 1,157. Bryant had seven blocks while Kochanski stuffed six blocks. Senior opposite THIAGO SIQUEIRA (Newark, NJ/Science) finished with six kills in each match on Saturday, and five blocks in the loss to Stevenson. He is now ninth in school history in kills with 771.

Sophomore setter JUSTIN BEAUMONT (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) registered his eighth career double-double with 37 assists, 11 digs and three blocks.Sophomore libero CHRIS EDRA (Edison, NJ/JP Stevens) defended eight digs.

Also for Stevenson, senior middle hitter J.R. Jackson (Havre De Grace, MD/Havre De Grace) totaled 16 kills (16-9-30, .233) and six blocks while junior opposite David Lloyd (Germantown, MD/Seneca Valley) ended with 14 kills (14-6-29, .276) and junior opposite Steve Grossnickle (Perry Hall, MD/Calvert Hall) collected a double-double of 14 digs, 11 kills and three blocks.

Senior middle hitter Ryan McDowell (Germantown, MD/Seneca Valley) had seven blocks and junior libero Ben Leatherman (Glen Arm, MD/Calvert Hill) had 11 digs.

NJCU hit .321 in the opening set, winning 30-25. Leading 25-23, Rodgers had two kills sandwiched around a SU error, and he capped the set with another kill.

NJCU came within three, 20-17 in the second set before the Mustangs scored 10 of the final 13 points. The Knights were held to a -.030 attack percentage in set three. After falling behind 19-13, NJCU couldn't draw closer than three the remainder of the game. In the fourth set, a Pena kill knotted the score at 25-25 before Stevenson scored the final five points to win the match. Matkowski and Lloyd had consecutive kills before NJCU committed a pair of attack errors at the end.

NJCU returns to action on Thursday, February 26 at 7 p.m. when it visits #14 ranked SUNY New Paltz in a NECVA non-divisional match in New Paltz, NY.