New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Montclair State University had four players combine for 29 of its 36 kills as the Red Hawks upended host New Jersey City University, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-19)  in a New Jersey Athletic Conference women's volleyball match on Thursday night at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on 'Coach Charlie Brown Court.'
 
Montclair improved to 9-13 with the win and 2-5 in the conference, keeping itself in position for the final seed in the six-team NJAC Tournament. NJCU (4-12, 0-5 NJAC) drops its fourth straight. MSU leads the all-time series, 20-8.
 
The loss spoiled another outstanding effort by rookie middle hitter JADE MEDLEY (Newark, NJ/Hudson Catholic) who floored a match-high nine kills and hit .292 with just two errors in 24 attempts. Rookie setter CINDY GARCIA (West New York, NJ/Memorial) distributed her eighth double-double of the season with 19 assists and 12 digs.
 
MSU freshman outside hitter Daniella Salemo (Ramsey, NJ/Ramsey) hit .353 with eight kills (8-2-17), nine digs and two blocks and sophomore outside Marta Topor (Bogota, NJ/Bogota) equaled a match-high with nine kills (9-6-31, .097) and six digs.
 
MSU sophomore middle blocker Sara Girgus (Green Brook, NJ/Watchung Hills) delivered eight kills and hit .222 (8-4-18) with two blocks and junior outside Alyssa Batiste (Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Regional) finished with 10 digs and six kills (6-2-23, .174).
 
Red Hawks rookie setter Angela Campo (Washington Township, NJ/Westwood) dished 30 assists and two aces. Sophomore libero Kaitlyn Irwin (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) defended a match-high 13 digs.
 
Also for the Gothic Knights, senior libero MICHELLE RAYO (Jersey City, NJ/County Prep) defended 11 digs. Senior outside hitter TABITHA JORDAN (West New York, NJ/Memorial) and junior outside hitter KIARA MARTINEZ (Newark, NJ/East Side) each had eight digs; Martinez landed two aces.
 
Montclair had a 12-5 margin in kills in the opening set and never trailed. Leading 12-11, the Hawks scored the next six points and eight of the next 10 to build a 20-13 cushion. NJCU whittled the deficit to 20-18 as Martinez had a pair of aces and Medley floored a kill on an over ball off another strong serve by Martinez. But MSU scored the next three points for a 23-18 edge after an ace by Topor and won the game, 25-20 on a kill by Batiste.
 
NJCU had a 12-11 edge in kills in the second game and Medley hit .375 with four kills in the set (4-1-8). But Salemo was a big factor for the visitors hitting .625 with five kills and no errors. Tied 16-16, Salemo had a pair of kills for a 16-14 edge. NJCU was not able to get closer than two points, including 22-20 and an ace by Campo and kill by Topor sealed the set.
 
In the third set, MSU had 13 kills and opened up a 23-12 lead before the Knights scored seven late points to make it a little tighter. The visitors sealed the match with a kill from Batiste.
 
NJCU will host a non-conference tri-match on Saturday, October 15 against Hunter College (10 a.m.) and Delaware Valley College (2 p.m.) with those opponents meeting in a neutral site match at 12 p.m. Montclair visits Baruch College that day at 3 p.m.