BOX SCORE (vs. Hilbert)
BOX SCORE (vs. D'Youville)
BEVERLY, MA (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com)...New Jersey City University had never defeated D'Youville College in the first 20 years of the program's history. On February 21, the Gothic Knights downed D'Youville for the second time in 20 hours. Behind an All-Tournament Team performance of 44 digs in two matches byjunior libero CHRIS EDRA (Edison, NJ/JP Stevens) and 37 kills from sophomore opposite AUSTIN BRYANT (Virginia Beach, VA/Kempsville), NJCU defeated Hilbert College, 3-1 (30-18, 28-30, 30-19, 30-28) and D'Youville, 3-1 (24-30, 30-28, 30-22, 30-22) to win Pool C of the Endicott College Invitational on Sunday at The Post Center.
NJCU, which posted a 3-1 record at the tournament, increased its record overall to 7-4, and has won five of its last six matches since returning to action following two weeks of weather-related postponements.
Edra, who delivered 82 digs in four matches during the weekend, becoming the first player on record in school history to record 20 digs in three consecutive matches, earned selection to the Endicott Invitational Honorable Mention All-Tournament Team.
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NJCU opened the day by defeating Hilbert in four sets. NJCU improved to 4-0 all-time against the Hawks (1-13), as the Knights hit .356 as a team with 68 kills (68-21-132).
Edra's 21 digs tied a career high and paced the Knights. NJCU received a team season-best 20 kills from freshman outside hitter JOSE MATTA (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Union Hill). Matta hit .516 with four errors in 31 attempts, adding seven digs, three aces and three blocks.
Sophomore opposite AUSTIN BRYANT (Virginia Beach, VA/Kempsville),who posted 64 kills in four matches, added what was then a career-high 18 kills to his portfolio and hit .467 (18-4-30) with seven blocks (two solo) and six digs.
Freshman middle blocker DAVIS OBI (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) provided nine kills and hit .333 (9-3-18) with four blocks and two aces. Sophomore outside hitter KENNY LISK (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) collected eight kills and six digs. Freshman middle blocker CASEY BLAKE (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) chipped in seven kills and three blocks.
Junior outside hitter Dan Wolfe (Rochester, NY) led the Hawks with 12 kills while sophomore setter Vincent Amico (Buffalo, NY) dished 30 assists.
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In its second match, NJCU, which defeated D'Youville on February 20 in five sets, didn't let the rematch go the distance, downing the Spartans in four sets. After dropping the opening game, the Knights won the final three, posting 16 kills as a team in each of the final two sets. NJCU had four players register double figures in kills during the victory.
While DYC (10-8), historically one of the best programs in the NECVA, still leads the all-time series, 6-2, and had won 18 of the first 19 sets ever played between the schools, NJCU won six of the final seven sets between the clubs during the tournament.
Edra established another career high in leading the Knights, defending 23 digs, as the Spartans were limited to a .121 team hitting percentage. Bryant also posted a career high in kills for the second straight match, slamming 19 kills (19-11-42, .190), while adding nine digs and six blocks.
Sophomore middle blocker DANNY KOCHANSKI (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) tallied 10 kills (10-5-21) and rejected eight blocks while Matta chalked up 10 kills, eight digs and three blocks. Lisk chipped in 10 kills and two blocks.
Rodriguez dished 30 assists with Siqueira adding 21. Obi finished with five kills, two blocks and a .286 percentage. Freshman outside hitter MICHAL KUCZA (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) defended a career-best 14 digs; his previous high had been five.
In defeat, D'Youville junior outside hitter Jeremy Sajdak (Rochester, NY)—also an Honorable Mention All-Tournament pick—had 16 kills and four aces while freshman opposite Chris Temple (Highwood, IL) equaled him with 16 kills, adding three blocks. Rookie setter JJ Senozetnik (Eden, NY) dished 37 assists. Junior middle blocker Brett Peters (Warsaw, NY) had four blocks but hit -.176. Sophomore outside hitter Rob Dykeman (Perrineville, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) provided 14 digs.
NJCU is back on the court on in the first of five consecutive home matches on Wednesday, February 24 at 7 p.m. against Lancaster Bible College at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
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Team Stat Comparison
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NJCU
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HILBERT
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Score
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3
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1
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Attack Percentage
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.356 (68-21-132)
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.114 (32-19-114)
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Kills
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68
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32
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Assists
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60
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32
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Service Aces
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9
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3
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Digs
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52
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43
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Total Blocks
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10.0
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10.0
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Points
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87.0
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45.0
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Team Stat Comparison
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NJCU
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D'YOUVILLE
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Score
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3
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1
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Attack Percentage
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.199 (60-31-146)
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.121 (51-33-149)
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Kills
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60
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51
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Assists
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55
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44
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Service Aces
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1
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7
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Digs
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65
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39
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Total Blocks
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11.5
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10.0
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Points
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72.5
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68.0
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