New Jersey City University Athletics

BOX SCORE
VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: FINAL TWO POINTS OF MATCH

NEW YORK, NY…The New Jersey City University men's volleyball team endured two personal tragedies this week, but in its first match since, the club demonstrated the ability to channel its emotions and overcome adversity. On Thursday night, the Gothic Knights rebounded from a 2-sets-to-none deficit and survived five match points by Hunter College to claim its most significant victory of the season, as NJCU rallied to defeat the Hawks, 3-2 (25-30, 27-30, 30-21, 34-32, 15-12) in a non-conference match at the Hunter Sportsplex.

There were two deaths in the men's volleyball family since Sunday, including the passing of Ceferino Edra, Jr., father of second-year head coach CARLO EDRA and his younger brother, sophomore libero CHRIS EDRA (Edison, NJ/JP Stevens), who attended the funeral of the former Filipino National Volleyball Teamer on Thursday morning. In the win over Hunter, the Gothic Knights rallied behind the volleyball-loving Edra family.

Offensively, NJCU had three players in double figures in kills, led by sophomore outside hitter MARLEY PENA-GUZMAN (Atlanta, GA/Central Gwinnett) who posted his fifth career double-double, landing 19 kills (19-7-51) for a .235 percentage with 10 digs.

Senior outside hitter KEVIN RODGERS (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) collected his 28^th career double-double and his 225^th career block, as he tallied 16 kills (16-6-37), hit .270, and aided the defense with 17 digs and four blocks. He increased his career kills total to 1,179 and needs 56 more for second place in school history.

Also for NJCU, senior opposite THIAGO SIQUEIRA (Newark, NJ/Science) hit .400 with 11 kills (11-3-20) and three block assists. He is ninth in school history with 785 kills.

Sophomore setter JUSTIN BEAUMONT (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) paced NJCU with 56 assists and four kills (4-1-8, .375). Freshman middle blocker DANNY KOCHANSKI (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) had six kills (6-1-18, .278) and three blocks while freshman middle blocker AUSTIN BRYANT (Virginia Beach, VA/Kempsville) added six kills and 10 digs.

Hunter had four players in double figures in kills, but was paced by junior setter Zacarias Ripoll (Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic/John F. Kennedy) with 72 assists.

Sophomore outside hitter Wojciech Jakubiak (Poreba, Poland/Grover Cleveland) posted a match-high 20 kills and 10 digs for a double-double, but hit .069 (20-16-58). Freshman outside hitter Jerin Kallickal (Kerala, India/Swanhakal) added 18 kills (18-7-45, .244) and 12 digs. Freshman middle blocker Eric Barty (Jamaica, NY/Cardozo) landed 17 kills (17-6-41, .268) and three blocks and senior middle blocker Shandu Foster (Long Island City, NY/Acad. of American Studies) chalked up 16 kills (16-8-30, .267). The remainder of the team had just eight kills.

Hunter won the opening set, 30-25, and never trailed after taking a 4-1 lead, but NJCU was able to come within two, 22-20, before the Hawks scored the next four points.

In a competitive second game, NJCU led for much of the way, including 21-19, before the teams were tied five times, the last being 25-25. Jakubiak and Ripoll put Hunter ahead with back-to-back kills and after a winner by Rodgers, Kallickal had a shot for 28-26. The Hawks used an attack by Barty to win 30-27 and take a 2-0 lead in the match. Hunter hit .357 in the set with 21 kills; NJCU had 17 winners and a .342 percentage.

Tied 2-2 in the third set, NJCU went on a 10-2 spurt to seize a 12-4 advantage and Hunter never came closer than four points, 21-17. From there, NJCU scored nine of the final 13 points, winning 30-21. The Hawks were forced into 16 attack errors in the set.

In the fourth set, the tide turned for the resilient Knights. Hunter led for most of the game, and had a 27-25 margin before kills by Rodgers and Pena tied it at 27-27. The Hawks received a kill by Jakubiak and a combo block from Barty and Ripoll to gain two match points, and a 29-27 edge. But Beaumont responded with a kill and Rodgers uncorked an ace to tie it at 29-29. Kallickal had a kill for 30-29 before a Hunter attack error allowed NJCU to stay alive at 30-30. Another winner from Kallickal gave the Hawks a 31-30 lead and their fourth match point before Beaumont slammed another kill to force a 31-31 deadlock. Hunter had its fifth match point, leading 32-31 after an NJCU service error before Pena notched a kill for a 32-32 tie. After an attack error by the hosts put the Knights ahead, 33-32, Siqueira and Beaumont stuffed Jakubiak with a block on set point, as NJCU forced a fifth game, winning 34-32.

In the fifth set, NJCU was errorless, with a staggering .588 team hitting percentage on 10 kills, no errors and 17 attempts. Hunter did hit .304 in the frame (10-3-23).

With the set tied 3-3, Rodgers and Pena had kills, and a Hunter ball handling error made it 6-3, NJCU. Both players led the team with three kills in the final set.

Jakubiak had two kills as Hunter rallied for a 5-1 run to reclaim the lead, 8-7, before the Knights scored the next three points for a 10-8 margin, off kills by Pena and Rodgers. Barty and Bryant traded shots and it remained a two-point cushion, 11-9. Kallickal made it 11-10 before Pena slammed a winner for a 12-10 lead. Foster added a kill to keep Hunter alive, down 12-11, and after an attack error extended NJCU's lead to 13-11, he connected on another kill for a 13-12 deficit. However, Siqueira gave NJCU its first match point with a winner and Kochanski sealed the enormous victory with a final kill and a 15-12 triumph.

NJCU returns to action on Friday, March 6 in a non-conference home contest against Lancaster Bible College at 7 p.m. at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.