BOX SCORE
PROVIDENCE, RI (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Stevenson University landed 41 kills and 11 service aces and held off New Jersey City University, 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-22) in the third match of the weekend for the Gothic Knights on Saturday morning at the Wildcats Invitational at the Harborside Recreation Center.
Stevenson, the eventual tournament champions with a 4-0 record, improved to 22-6 overall with the win and won all three matches against NJCU (13-16) this season, to take a 9-7 lead all-time in what has been a competitive rivalry.
Freshman outside hitter Kalani Soeda (Kaneohe, Hawaii/LeJardin Academy) was dominant for the Mustangs, hitting .586 with 18 kills and only one error in 39 attempts with five digs and two aces.
In defeat, sophomore outside hitter MICHAL KUCZA (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) registered his fifth double-double of the season and the sixth of his career, finishing with team highs of 11 kills and 10 kills (10-5-25, .200).
Junior outside hitter KENNY LISK (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) hit .300 with nine kills (9-3-20) and rookie opposite RICH BOYLE (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) added nine kills (9-4-20, .250) and five digs. Kucza, Lisk and Boyle combined for 28 of NJCU's 31 kills.
Also for the Gothic Knights, senior setter JORGE RODRIGUEZ (Havana, Cuba/Memorial)gave out 26 assists. Senior libero CHRIS EDRA (Edison, NJ/J.P. Stevens) increased his all-time program record to 1,155 digs with five in the match.
For Stevenson, rookie outside hitter Austin Jacoby (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) had a well-rounded effort with eight kills, seven aces and four digs. Sophomore setter Kyle Diller (Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg) distributed 38 assists.
Also for the Mustangs, freshman libero Adam Thatcher (Bel Air, MD/C. Milton Wright) provided 10 digs. Two-time NECVA Metro Division Rookie of the Week and freshman opposite Jon Martin (Warwick, PA/Warwick) had six kills and six digs but was forced to commit eight errors and had a -.125 attack percentage.
In the first set there were three ties and three lead changes. Stevenson led for much of the set and 23-19 late after a combined block. NJCU closed to within one, 23-22 after a kill by Kucza, a Stevenson attack error and a combined block by Boyle and sophomore middle hitter CORRADO DeVINCENZO (Bayonne, NJ/County Prep). Martin had a kill for a 24-22 lead and NJCU committed an attack error as the Mustangs won the set by three.
Soeda had five kills in five attempts in the second set. NJCU led early, 10-9, before Stevenson ran off nine consecutive points to claim an 18-10 lead. During the run, Jacoby floored three aces and Soeda collected three kills before Stevenson won by eight points.
In the final set Lisk hit .667 with four kills to try to keep NJCU alive, but Stevenson received a dominant performance by Soeda, who compiled nine kills without an error in 15 swings (.600). Stevenson led 17-9 early on consecutive kills by Soeda and the Mustangs maintained a 22-18 lead late in the set on another Soeda winner. NJCU tried to extend the match, cutting it to 22-21 as Kucza landed a kill, the Mustangs committed an attack error, and freshman outside hitter #A.J. FLORES# (Jersey City, NJ/County Prep) landed an ace. Soeda made it 23-21 with a kill before Kucza again whittled the deficit to one with another kill. But Stevenson sealed the win with back-to-back kills by Soeda and Martin to complete the sweep.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
|
Team Stat Comparison
|
|
|
NJCU
|
STEVENSON
|
|
Score
|
0
|
3
|
|
Attack Percentage
|
.188 (31-16-80)
|
.266 (41-16-94)
|
|
Kills
|
31
|
41
|
|
Assists
|
28
|
39
|
|
Service Aces
|
3
|
11
|
|
Digs
|
29
|
29
|
|
Total Blocks
|
3.0
|
3.0
|
|
Points
|
37.0
|
55.0
|
