New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

BROOKLYN, NY (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Freshman middle blocker JADE MEDLEY (Newark, NJ/Hudson Catholic) slammed a career-high 16 kills and hit .333 as New Jersey City University snapped a six-match losing streak by sweeping a non-conference  match from St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn), 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-17) on Monday night at Brooklyn Tech High School.
 
Medley, whose previous high was 11 kills, only made three errors in 39 attempts and added two solo blocks as NJCU posted its best hitting percentage of the season, a .193 rate as a team with 36 kills and only 14 errors in 114 attempts. The Bears were limited to a .000 percentage with 23 kills and 23 errors.
 
NJCU improved to 5-14 with the win while the Bears were sent to .500 at 8-8. NJCU leads the all-time series, 3-0, with all three victories via sweep.
 
Rookie setter CINDY GARCIA (West New York, NJ/Memorial) paced the offense with 30 assists. Freshman middle hitter INDIGO HATCHER (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) had a career high nine kills and hit .350 with only two errors on 20 attempts. She landed three service aces. Senior outside hitter/libero MICHELLE RAYO (Jersey City, NJ/County Prep) defended 16 digs.
 
Also for NJCU, freshman opposite KELYSHA EDWARDS (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) hit .556 and planted five kills without an error in nine attempts. She had only two kills in her first six collegiate appearances prior to the breakout effort. Senior libero AMANDA DOPICO (West New York, NJ/Memorial) provided 12 digs.
 
NJCU was without both of its starting outside hitters and team captains, senior TABITHA JORDAN (West New York, NJ/Memorial)  and junior KIARA MARTINEZ (Newark, NJ/East Side), who did not play.
 
The Bears received a solid defensive effort from freshman Nicole Rios (Astoria, NY) with a match-high 26 digs. Sophomore setter Sabrina Cornia (Miller Place, NY) had 20 assists and sophomore middle hitter Megan Moran (Syosset, NY) led SJCNY with eight kills. Senior outside hitter Kathy McCarthy (Breezy Point, NY) hit .235 with five kills.
 
NJCU never trailed in the first set despite only having seven kills. The Knights hit .263 in the period and opened up an 18-11 lead behind the serving of Hatcher. A kill by Edwards made it 20-13 and an ace by junior BRITTANY EREZUMA (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) earned a 22-14 advantage before NJCU took the set by seven points.
 
The second set was all Medley, who slammed seven of NJCU's 13 kills and hit .278 in the period. The Gothic Knights needed her effort because the clubs traded 10 ties and four lead changes. Late in the game, the Bears gained a 22-20 lead after an NJCU attack error followed by a winner from Moran. After a bad set by SJCNY, Medley tied it with a solo block and Erezuma put NJCU in front with a kill. Medley had an attack error that evened the set at 23-23, but shook it off and buried back-to-back kills for the 24^th and 25^th points as the Knights took a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
In the third set NJCU had a substantial 16-6 advantage in kills over the Bears as the visitors hit .261 (16-4-46) and held the hosts to a -.056 rate. Medley and Hatcher carried the offensive workload for the Knights in the final set. Hatcher hit a staggering .636 with seven kills and no errors (11 swings) while Medley planted six kills on just one error (14 attempts) and hit .357. The Knights jumped out to a 20-12 lead before cruising to the 3-0 win.
 
NJCU will travel to Camden, NJ for a New Jersey Athletic Conference match against Rutgers University-Camden on Thursday, October 20 at 7 p.m.