BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES
JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Sophomore outside hitter MICHAL KUCZA (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) slammed a career-high 20 kills and registered 10 digs and five blocks for his second career double-double as New Jersey City University defeated Lehman College for the 14th time in its last 15 meetings while earning its first victory of the season, 3-1 (25-23, 25-19, 22-25, 25-15) in a non-conference match on Friday night at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on “Coach Charlie Brown Court.”
NJCU (1-1) stuffed 10.0 blocks as a team, led by junior KENNY LISK (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge). In only his second career match as a middle blocker, Lisk doubled his previous career high for blocks, finishing with eight, including three solo rejections. He hit .350 and had nine kills (9-2-20).
Kucza planted his 20 kills for a .280 percentage (20-6-50) and added 10 digs, five assisted blocks and two aces. Freshman opposite RICH BOYLE (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) now has 20 kills in his first two collegiate matches after contributing nine kills (9-6-23, .130), 10 digs and two blocks in the win.
Senior setter JORGE RODRIGUEZ (Havana, Cuba/Memorial) exceeded the 1500-assist plateau for his career with 40 in the match, bringing his career total to 1,530. He added 12 digs and two aces for his second career double-double. Senior libero CHRIS EDRA (Edison, NJ/J.P. Stevens) collected 14 digs to increase his career total to 783, and added three kills in five attempts (.600) out of the back row. Freshman middle blocker NATHAN JOUBERT (Union City, NJ/Union City) hit .333 with six kills (6-2-12) and two blocks.
Lehman (1-2) had two players nearly record triple doubles in their 6-2 offense. Freshman outside hitter Miguel Gallardo (Bronx, NY/Salesian) paced the Lightning with 14 kills (14-6-34, .235), 17 assists, nine digs, two aces and two blocks. Senior setter Nate Martin (Carleton, MI/Airport) added a match-high 15 digs, 12 assists and nine kills (9-4-29, .172).
Senior opposite R.J. LeBlanc (South Rockwood, MI/Airport) added 12 digs, nine kills and two blocks but hit -.056 with 11 errors. Senior middle blocker Michael Arzola (Bronx, NY/John F. Kennedy) finished with five blocks (one solo) as Lehman tallied 7.0 team blocks in the match.
NJCU, which leads the all-time series with Lehman, 19-13, trailed early in set one before the game became a see-saw battle with ties at 13, 14, 15 and 16. NJCU moved in front and held a 23-21 lead on a winner by Boyle before a kill by Gallardo and a combo block by Gallardo and Arzola evened the set at 23-23. But kills by Kucza and Joubert accounted for the final two points as NJCU prevailed, 25-23. Kucza hit .333 with seven kills in the set (7-1-18). Gallardo hit .556 with six kills (6-1-9).
Kucza posted a .556 percentage on six kills (6-1-9) and stuffed three blocks as NJCU won the second set handily, 25-19, to claim a 2-0 lead in the match. NJCU jumped out to a 19-11 lead in the set and had 15 kills as a team in the frame.
In the third set, Lehman led 15-9 early. NJCU roared back on a 7-0 run to claim a 16-15 lead as Kucza had two kills and one block and Lisk had two rejections and a kill to take the lead. A kill by Boyle and a Lehman attack error made it 19-17 but the Lightning reeled off the next five points—all off NJCU errors. Lehman still led 23-20 before the Knights cut the deficit to one, 23-22 on an ace by junior defensive specialist VIN GENOVA (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield), but a kill by Martin and a winner by sophomore middle blocker Luis Colon (Bronx, NY/John F. Kennedy), forced a fourth set with Lehman taking the game, 25-22.
But the fourth set was all NJCU, led by Kucza with a .400 percentage and four kills (4-0-10). Leading 14-12, NJCU uncorked 11 of the final 14 points for a 25-15 win, clinching the match when freshman outside hitter #A.J. FLORES# (Jersey City, NJ/County Prep) landed his first collegiate kill.
NJCU plays its first road match of the season on Thursday, January 27 at 7 p.m. at York College in Jamaica, Queens, NY.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
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Team Stat Comparison
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NJCU
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LEHMAN
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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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.223 (50-21-130)
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.122 (39-24-123)
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Kills
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50
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39
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Assists
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43
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35
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Service Aces
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6
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6
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Digs
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53
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51
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Total Blocks
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10.0
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7.0
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Points
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66.0
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52.0
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