New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE
GAME NOTES/PROGRAM
HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

JERSEY CITY, NJ (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University sophomore middle hitter BRITTANY EREZUMA (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) uncorked a career-high 13 kills while senior outside hitter TABITHA JORDAN (West New York, NJ/Memorial) posted a match-high 14 winners to exceed 500 career kills as NJCU bounced back nicely from a first set loss to defeat the College of Staten Island, 3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 25-16, 25-13), in the 2011 season opener for both schools.
 
NJCU (1-0) made first-year head coach KEVIN RODGERS, `10, a winner in his collegiate coaching debut. NJCU leads the 'Bayonne Bridge Series' 8-4 and has won the last five meetings against the Dolphins (0-1).
 
Erezuma, who had reached double figures in kills just once in her first two seasons (10 kills at Rutgers-Newark, September 30, 2010), impressed in an expanded role, hitting .265 with 13 kills (13-4-34). Jordan registered her 17^th career double-double, totaling 18 digs and 14 kills (14-10-51) while landing five aces.
 
Rookie middle hitter INDIGO HATCHER (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) posted a match-high .467 attack percentage in her NCAA debut, chalking up seven kills without an attack error (15 attempts). Junior outside hitter KIARA MARTINEZ (Newark, NJ/East Side) added seven kills (7-2-29, .172), four assists and three aces.
 
Freshman setter CINDY GARCIA (West New York, NJ/Memorial) delivered a match high of 34 assists and team-best 19 digs in her collegiate debut.
 
Defensively, NJCU limited the Dolphins to a .013 attack percentage (33-31-160) and combined for 93 digs as five players reached double figures. Senior MICHELLE RAYO (Jersey City, NJ/County Prep) made the start at outside hitter, contributing 17 digs. Junior libero AMANDA DOPICO (West New York, NJ/Memorial) had 15 digs in three sets. Freshman LORENA MENESES (Ridgefield Park, NJ/Ridgefield Park) added 10 digs in two sets.
 
CSI was led by junior outside hitter Maricor Socorro-Calleja (Philippines) with a double-double of 16 digs and 12 kills (12-7-38, .132). Freshman middle hitter Pola Poskrobko (Staten Island, NY) added eight kills and six aces.
 
CSI had five players reach double figures in digs and posted 86 overall. Freshman libero Jean Marie Lewandowski (Staten Island, NY) totaled a match-high 20 digs. Freshman setter Jennifer Samuel (Staten Island, NY) dished 21 assists and 10 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Vasiliki Stergioula (Athens, Greece) and senior outside hitter Danielle Ponsiglione (Staten Island, NY) each provided 15 digs.
 
Early in the first set, the Knights got off to a slow start, falling behind 6-2 and 9-2 as Poskrobko landed three consecutive aces. Rodgers quickly called a pair of timeouts to regain the young team's composure and it paid dividends. While CSI would win the opening set, 25-22, the momentum changed late. With the Dolphins leading 18-9, NJCU reeled off nine of the next 11 points to pull within 20-18. Back-to-back kills by Jordan cut it to 22-21 and NJCU remained within one at 23-22 before Socorro and Stergioula tallied two kills to win the set. In defeat, Erezuma had five kills and hit .714 (5-0-7) in the period.
 
There were nine ties and five lead changes in the second set. NJCU led, 20-18, before CSI answered and claimed a 22-21 edge after aces by Ponsiglione and Socorro. After an error tied it, Martinez floored an ace to give NJCU back the lead for good. The Knights took the set, 25-22, after CSI committed a pair of attack errors.
 
NJCU would not trail again the remainder of the match, jumping out to an 18-11 lead in the third set, en route to a 25-16 win. The Knights hit .257 as a team in the fourth set and had 12 kills (12-3-35), led by Erezuma's .556 attack rate and five kills (5-0-9). Jordan added four kills in the frame. Two kills by Erezuma helped the hosts built a 20-9 lead before claiming the match, 25-13.
 
NJCU is back on its home court on Thursday, September 8 at 7 p.m. when it hosts York College (NY). Staten Island travels to USMMA on September 3 at 12 p.m.