New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

LANGHORNE, PA (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Freshman middle blocker JADE MEDLEY (Newark, NJ/Hudson Catholic) had match highs with a .529 attack percentage, 10 kills and four solo blocks, but New Jersey City University lost a non-conference  match to Philadelphia Biblical University, 3-1 (25-8, 25-11, 19-25, 25-19) on Saturday at the Mason Activity Center.
 
PBU improved to 11-9 overall with the win and has won both meetings with NJCU (3-8) all-time. The Gothic Knights dropped their sixth straight match.
 
Medley made just one attack error in 17 swings while reaching double figures in kills for the second time in her career. Gothic Knight rookie setter CINDY GARCIA (West New York, NJ/Memorial) notched her sixth double-double in 11 matches to open her career, finishing with 27 assists and 10 digs.
 
Senior outside hitter TABITHA JORDAN (West New York, NJ/Memorial) finished with nine kills and eight digs while junior outside hitter KIARA MARTINEZ (Newark, NJ/East Side) chipped in 13 digs. Junior right side BRITTANY EREZUMA (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) hit .308 with five kills (5-1-13).
 
PBU had a balanced attack, paced by sophomore setter Erin Greenwood (Springfield, OH) with 33 assists. Senior outside hitter Rebekah Morrison (Fayetteville, NC) and freshman outside Brigid Shehan (Media, PA) each hit .417 with six kills and a line of 6-1-12; Morrison had four blocks (two solo) while Shehan landed four aces. Senior outside Joy Bucknam (Mechanicsburg, PA) had a team-high seven kills (7-2-18, .278) and two blocks. Sophomore libero Erika Catalano (Hamden, CT) defended 13 digs.
 
The Crimson Eagles served 14 aces in the match and hit .429 in the opening set without an error (9-0-21), jumping out to a 16-4 lead in the period.
 
In the second set, PBU hit .312 with 11 kills (11-1-32) while limiting NJCU to a -.111 rate (5-8-27). The set was competitive midway through, with the Eagles owning a 15-11 lead. But the hosts scored 10 consecutive points to close the period, including nine on the serve of Shehan, who landed two aces during the run; PBU also had three blocks during the late tear.
 
NJCU never trailed in the third set and hit .308 with 12 kills (12-4-26) while limiting the Eagles to a -.033 attack percentage (6-7-30). The Knights soared out to an 18-10 lead before the hosts used a 7-2 run to pull within 20-17. But Medley had three late kills, including back-to-back winners after PBU had shaved the lead to 22-19, as the Knights won the game and closed the match deficit to 2-1.
 
But in the fourth set, PBU floored 13 kills and never trailed, grabbing an early 11-4 and 19-11 lead. NJCU was able to whittle the deficit to 19-15 after Medley stuffed back-to-back blocks, before the Eagles took the set by six, winning the match, 3-1.
 
NJCU will host the College of New Rochelle in a non-conference match on Tuesday, October 4 at 7 p.m. at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.