With the tri-match split, NJCU is 12-7 overall and 4-4 in the division. NYU-Poly slipped to 6-17, 2-5 NECVA Metro while the Ducks, which hosted the tri-match, won their eighth consecutive match, improving to 16-8 and 7-2 NECVA Metro, sweeping both matches.
Freshman outside hitter JOSE MATTA (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Union Hill) reached double figures in kills in each match, finishing with a combined 22 winners in the six sets while sophomore outside hitter KENNY LISK (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) posted a combined hitting percentage of .366 with 18 kills and only three errors in 41 attempts over the two matches.
**********MATCH 1: NEW JERSEY CITY 3, NYU-POLY 0 (30-9, 30-16, 30-20) **********
In the opening match, NJCU swept Polytechnic for the 21st time in 23 all-time meetings as the Knights combined for 40 kills and a team .272 attack percentage. It was NJCU's fourth consecutive win since starting the year 8-6.
Sophomore opposite AUSTIN BRYANT (Virginia Beach, VA/Kempsville) posted a sizzling .615 hitting percentage with nine kills and only one error in 13 attempts over two sets, adding six digs, two blocks and two aces. However, when he sat out the third set, his streak of consecutive matches reaching double figures in kills was snapped at 13 straight.
Matta, the reigning NECVA Metro Rookie of the Week, had nearly as many kills individually (12) as NYU-Poly had as a team (16). He hit .273 with 12 kills on 22 attempts (12-6-22), adding three digs and two blocks. Lisk hit .412 with eight kills and a mere one error (8-1-17), adding seven digs. Junior libero CHRIS EDRA (Edison, NJ/JP Stevens) returned to the lineup after missing time with an injury and supplied 14 digs.
Freshmen middle blockers CASEY BLAKE (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) and DAVIS OBI (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) had five and four blocks, respectively.
Senior setter FELIPE SIQUEIRA (Newark, NJ/Science) registered a .500 set percentage with 19 assists on 38 attempts while junior setter JORGE RODRIGUEZ (Havana, Cuba/Memorial) delivered 17 assists in 42 attempts for a .405 distribution clip. Junior opposite AJ SAFAVI (Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) had five kills (5-2-13, .231).
The Blue Jays hit -.156 with 16 kills and 31 errors in 96 attempts. Senior Robert Petri (St. Louis, MO) had 11 assists and seven digs in defeat.
**********MATCH 2: STEVENS 3, NEW JERSEY CITY 0 (30-20, 30-17, 30-24) **********
Lisk and Matta each tallied 10 kills but Stevens hit .343 with 46 kills (46-12-99) and held the Knights to a .046 attack percentage (33-28-109).
Lisk led NJCU with a .333 percentage, committing just two errors, while notching his 10 kills on 24 swings with seven digs. Matta had 10 kills but 10 errors, adding nine digs. Bryant chalked up seven kills, but had seven errors. Siqueira tallied 17 assists and Edra finished with nine digs.
Rodriguez dished nine assists to bring his career total to 1,389, and moved into sixth place in school history in just 202 career sets. He passed Doug Aviles-Bernal, who had 1,385 assists in 418 sets in 1996, and 1999-01.
Stevens was led by senior opposite Andrew Fessler (Rochester, NY), who collected a .667 percentage on 11 kills (11-1-15), adding nine digs. Junior 6-foot-5 middle hitter Timothy Karl (Williamsville, NY) tallied 10 kills, five blocks and hit .389 (10-3-18). Junior setter Brandt Grobeis (Livingston, NJ/Livingston) gave out 37 assists for a .468 percentage, and had four blocks. Senior outside hitter John Dennan (Saint Louis, MO) hit .333 with eight kills (8-3-15). Freshman 6-foot-6 middle hitter Jake Modestow (Hampden, MA) contributed five blocks.
Stevens leads the all-time series, 26-14 and defeated the Knights for the 24th consecutive meeting since February 1998—winning the last 14 outings by 3-0 results.
NJCU is back in action on Monday, March 15 at 7 p.m. when it visits Brooklyn College in Brooklyn, NY for the second meeting of the season between the non-conference opponents.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
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Team Stat Comparison
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|
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NJCU
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NYU-POLY
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Score
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3
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0
|
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Attack Percentage
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.272 (40-15-92)
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-.156 (16-31-96)
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Kills
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40
|
16
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Assists
|
38
|
15
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Service Aces
|
6
|
1
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Digs
|
42
|
32
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Total Blocks
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9.0
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2.0
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Points
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55.0
|
19.0
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Team Stat Comparison
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|
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NJCU
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STEVENS
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Score
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0
|
3
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Attack Percentage
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.046 (33-28-109)
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.343 (46-12-99)
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Kills
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33
|
46
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Assists
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31
|
41
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Service Aces
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3
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7
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Digs
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34
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37
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Total Blocks
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3.0
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12.0
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Points
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39.0
|
65.0
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