New Jersey City University Athletics

BOX SCORE

STEVENSON, MD…Tied 12-12 in game five of the 2009 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III South Tournament semifinals, Stevenson University rattled off three consecutive kills and edged New Jersey City University, 3-2 (31-29, 27-30, 30-22, 27-30, 15-12) on April 11 in Stevenson, MD.

 

In the fourth meeting of the year between the third-seeded Gothic Knights and second-seeded and tournament-host Mustangs, Stevenson senior middle hitter J.R. Jackson (Havre De Grace, MD/Havre De Grace) buried three consecutive kills to win the match, finishing with a match-best 30 kills.

 

NJCU finishes its 20^th season of men's volleyball with a 20-16 record, but lost its final three matches against teams that made deep post-season runs. It was NJCU's fourth appearance in the ECAC since 2005; the Knights are 3-4 all-time in the post-season tournament. Stevenson improved to 20-12, and advanced to the finals, where it dropped a 3-0 decision to top-seeded Hunter College.

 

The all-time series between NJCU and the Mustangs is tied, 6-6, but Stevenson won three of four meetings this year.

 

In the final match of his stellar career for NJCU, senior outside hitter KEVIN RODGERS (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) smacked 20 kills (20-10-59, .169), adding 18 digs and two blocks. It was his 31^st career double-double and sixth of the season and his eighth career 20-kill match. He finished his four-year career with 1,297 kills and 1,014 digs, ranking second and third in program history in the two categories.

 

Freshman middle blocker DANNY KOCHANSKI (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) had an awesome all-around match, with 11 blocks—10 assisted— and nine kills while sophomore outside hitter MARLEY PENA-GUZMAN (Atlanta, GA/Central Gwinnett (GA)) tallied his seventh double-double of his career and third of the season, finishing with 14 kills, a .367 percentage (14-3-30), 19 digs and three blocks.

 

Also for NJCU, sophomore setter JORGE RODRIGUEZ (Havana, Cuba/Memorial) posted his first career double-double with 60 assists, 12 digs, four blocks and two aces. He finished his first season as NJCU's starting setter 20 assists shy of 1,000 for his career. Freshman middle blocker AUSTIN BRYANT (Virginia Beach, VA/Kempsville) collected 11 kills, six digs and four blocks.  Rookie outside hitter KENNY LISK (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) tacked on eight kills and two blocks.

 

Sophomore libero CHRIS EDRA (Edison, NJ/JP Stevens) defended 19 digs while junior defensive specialist FELIPE SIQUEIRA (Newark, NJ/Science) had 14 digs. Senior opposite THIAGO SIQUEIRA (Newark, NJ/Science) had six digs, five kills and four blocks in his final career match, finishing seventh in school history in kills (848) and ninth in digs (827).

 

Jackson had 40 percent of his team's total kills, finishing with a .455 percentage on 30 winners and only five errors in 55 attacks. He added eight blocks. Freshman setter Dean Massimini (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) delivered 62 assists, and added 13 digs and two aces.

 

In all four Mustangs had double-digit kill totals. Sophomore outside/middle hitter Jason Matkowski (Warminster, PA/William Tennent) tallied 13 kills, 14 digs and three blocks. Junior opposite Steve Grossnickle (Perry Hall, MD/Calvert Hall) collected a double-double of 19 digs, 11 kills and four blocks and junior opposite David Lloyd (Germantown, MD/Seneca Valley) ended with 20 digs, 11 kills and four blocks.

Senior libero Anthony Cammarata (Fallston, MD/Calvert Hill) contributed 24 digs. Senior middle hitter Ryan McDowell (Germantown, MD/Seneca Valley) totaled nine kills and three blocks.

 

In set one, NJCU led 19-17, before it became a survival of the fittest—with nine ties, including 29-29, after Lisk had a kill to keep the Knights alive on game point. Jackson put the Mustangs in front 30-29, before an NJCU attack error allowed the hosts to take the opener.

 

NJCU, which trailed for just one possession in the second set, broke open a 17-17 game by scoring seven of the next nine points to surge ahead, 24-19. Kills by Rodgers and Lisk, followed by a double-block from THIAGO SIQUEIRA and Bryant made it 20-17. Three straight kills by Bryant, THIAGO SIQUEIRA and Pena made it 23-18. A Rodgers shot made it 25-20. Lloyd pulled Stevenson within two, 27-25, with a winner and back-to-back kills by Matkowski and Grossnickle made it 29-27, before Lisk buried the ball for set point, 30-27, to even the match. NJCU planted 20 kills in the set and hit .292 as a team (20-6-48).

 

The Mustangs, which won all three odd-numbered sets, took the third game, 30-22. Rodgers gave NJCU a 15-13 lead with a pair of kills before the Mustangs scored six of the next seven for a 19-16 edge as Matkowski, McDowell and Grossnickle had three straight kills. NJCU climbed back within two, 22-20, before Stevenson scored eight of the final 10 points. A combo block by Jackson/Lloyd and a Jackson kill made it 24-20. NJCU committed two attack errors before Grossnickle had a shot for 27-20, and Jackson and Matkowski sealed it with two successful attacks.

 

The resilient Gothic Knights erased several deficits to take the fourth set, hitting .255 with 18 kills in the process. Trailing 19-18, Pena and Bryant buried balls for a 20-19 lead and after the Mustangs tied it at 20-20, Pena put the Knights in front for good with another slam. Two kills by Rodgers and another by Kochanski made it 26-23. Two kills by Lloyd cut NJCU's margin to one, 26-25, before Stevenson committed two errors. Pena created a cushion with a kill for 29-26, and forced a fifth set with another winner on set point.

 

In the deciding set, the clubs were tied 7-7 and 8-8 before Jackson had a kill and teamed with Lloyd for a block and a 10-8 lead. Pena slammed a kill and a triple block by Bryant, Pena and THIAGO SIQUEIRA tied it at 10-10 before Rodriguez floored an ace for an 11-10 advantage. Lloyd evened it at 11-11 with a kill, and Jackson/Grossnickle had a stuff to put the hosts back on top, 12-11. Pena again forced a tie with a kill at 12-12. But Jackson ended NJCU's season and hopes of an ECAC title with three consecutive attacks that hit the floor.