BOX SCORE
JAMAICA, QUEENS, NY (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University sophomore outside hitter MICHAL KUCZA (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) planted 13 kills and was named to the All-Tournament Team as NJCU swept Elms College, 3-0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-22) in the final match on Saturday afternoon at the 7th annual York College Men's Volleyball Classic at the York College Gymnasium. NJCU finished the tournament with a 2-2 record and finished fourth overall among eight schools.
NJCU improved to 11-14 with the win while the Blazers fell to 10-14. NJCU leads the all-time series, 2-1. The Knights landed 34 kills in the win and limited Elms to a -.013 attack percentage with 19 kills but 20 errors (79 attempts). NJCU did not trail in the final two sets. Elms' sideout percentage was 50 percent or less in all three sets.
SUNY New Paltz won the tournament with a 4-0 record. Mount Olive College (3-1) was second and Elmira College was third (3-1); NJCU's two losses during the tournament came to New Paltz and Elmira. The University of New Haven (2-2) was fifth, followed by York (1-3), Elms (1-3) and New York City College of Technology (0-4).
Kucza finished with 13 kills and hit .286 (13-3-35) with four digs, three service aces and two blocks. Junior outside hitter KENNY LISK (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) hit .667 with six kills and no errors (6-0-9), adding seven digs. Senior setter JORGE RODRIGUEZ (Havana, Cuba/Memorial)distributed 29 assists with five digs.
Also for NJCU, freshman opposite RICH BOYLE (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) had seven digs, six kills and three blocks. Sophomore middle hitter CORRADO DeVINCENZO (Bayonne, NJ/County Prep) stuffed five blocks and hit .375 with four kills (4-1-8).
Senior libero CHRIS EDRA (Edison, NJ/J.P. Stevens) had four digs, bringing his total to 1,130—just four shy of the program's all-time record of 1,134 by Marc Bracco. He will likely become NJCU's all-time defensive leader in the team's final home match on March 15.
Elms was led by junior 6-foot-7 outside hitter Yonalvy Acosta (Holyoke, MA) with 10 kills and a .208 percentage (10-5-24), adding six digs. Freshman setter Daniel Lebron (San Juan, Puerto Rico) finished with 18 assists.
In the first set, there were seven ties and four lead changes, but NJCU, behind four kills from Kucza and three by Lisk without an error in five swings, won 25-19. With the set even at 11-11, NJCU scored three straight on kills by DeVincenzo and Lisk and a Kucza ace. Kills by Boyle and Kucza and an Elms error extended the lead to 18-13 before Elms drew within two points on an ace and an Acosta winner. Leading 19-17, NJCU put distance between itself and the Blazers. After an Elms service error, DeVincenzo and Kucza combined for back-to-back blocks for a 22-17 lead and won the game on a kill by Kucza.
In a dominant second set, NJCU hit .333 with 11 kills and the Gothic Knights had a commanding 81 percent sideout rate (13-16). Kucza hit .429 with four kills (4-1-7) and Lisk floored three kills in four swings (.750). The Knights jumped out to an 8-2 lead and held an 11-4 advantage. Elms was able to whittle the lead to 15-11 before NJCU uncorked an 8-2 run to build a 23-13 lead. Lisk and Boyle each had a kill and service ace during the streak. NJCU won the set by 10, 25-15.
In the final set, Kucza was responsible for five of NJCU's 12 kills. The Knights exploded out to a 10-1 lead and held a 15-5 margin. Leading 20-12, Elms made it interesting late in the set, scoring nine of the next 12 points, cutting the NJCU lead to just two, 23-21, after three straight errors. Acosta had three kills during the mini-rally by the Blazers. Kucza secured the win by providing a kill for a 24-21 lead and concluded his All-Tournament team performance with another winner on match point.
NJCU will return to action on Tuesday, March 15 at 7 p.m. when it hosts Kean University for the first time ever in a North East Collegiate Volleyball Association Metro Division match on “Coach Charlie Brown Court” at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. In addition to Edra potentially breaking the all-time program digs record, NJCU will also celebrate Senior Night and will honor its three four-year seniors—Edra, Rodriguez and defensive specialist WILTON JIMENEZ (Passaic, NJ/Passaic).
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
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YORK COLLEGE MEN'S VOLLEYBALL CLASSIC FINAL STANDINGS
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PLACE
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SCHOOL
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RECORD (W-L)
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1
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SUNY New Paltz
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4-0
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2
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Mount Olive College
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3-1
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3
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Elmira College
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3-1
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4
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New Jersey City University
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2-2
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5
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University of New Haven
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2-2
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6
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York College
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1-3
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7
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Elms College
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1-3
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8
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New York City College of Technology
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0-4
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ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
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Most Valuable Player
Michael Dauernheim (New Paltz)
Libero Award
Brayden Abbey (Elmira)
All-Tournament Team
Angel Dache (Mount Olive)
Greg Brisbin (New Haven)
Michael Kucza (New Jersey City)
Alex Niles (York)
Vern Phillip (City Tech)
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Team Stat Comparison
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NJCU
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ELMS
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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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.205 (34-16-88)
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-.013 (19-20-79)
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Kills
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34
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19
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Assists
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31
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19
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Service Aces
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7
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3
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Digs
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35
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29
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Total Blocks
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6.0
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2.0
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Points
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47.0
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24.0
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