New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

MORRISTOWN, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com)...New Jersey City University had by far its highest team attack percentage of the season, posting a .457 rate with 25 kills and only four errors as the Gothic Knights snapped a four-match losing streak with a 3-0 (25-10, 25-15, 25-9) sweep of Medgar Evers College, in the second match of a non-conference tri hosted by College of Saint Elizabeth on October 13 at St. Joseph Hall.
 
NJCU (6-15) nearly doubled the previous high percentage for the season of .256 back in the season opener against College of Staten Island (30-10-78) and improved to 15-0 all-time against Medgar Evers (0-17). All 15 victories have been sweeps.
 
The four attack errors are the least committed by NJCU in a match since September 16, 2004 when an NJCU team that went 30-6 behind three-time All-American Lizzelle Cintron had a line of 26 kills and only three errors at SUNY Old Westbury.
 
The last time NJCU hit better than .457 in a match was October 28, 2006 when the Gothic Knights, who would go on to win the ECAC Division III South championship, smacked a .485 percentage versus City College of New York.
 
Impressively, NJCU managed to keep its total attack errors in single digits for just the 36th time in 383 total matches since match-by-match records were first tracked during the 2000 season.
 
Sophomore outside hitter JADE MEDLEY (Queens, NY/Hudson Catholic) had seven kills and hit .538 without committing an error (13 attacks) to lead NJCU while sophomore middle blocker INDIGO HATCHER (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) had the best percentage, flooring five kills with no errors in six swings for a colossal  .833 rate.
 
NJCU matched a season high by uncorking 19 service aces as a team, led by sophomore JAMIKA STEVENSON (Jersey City, NJ/Hoboken), who unleashed a career-high seven aces. She entered the match with just seven aces all season and nine in her career.
 
Sophomore outside hitter MARISSA SCARPA (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) hit .444 with five kills (one error) on nine attempts and added three aces. Senior setter KIARA MARTINEZ (Newark, NJ/East Side) contributed 15 assists and four service aces. Sophomore libero CINDY GARCIA (West New York, NJ/Memorial) defended seven digs.
 
MEC received 13 assists from sophomore setter AnnMarie Bemberry (Brooklyn, NY). Junior outside hitter Janiece Hill (Brooklyn, NY) finished five kills and two aces.
 
After opening the day with a 3-0 loss to host St. Elizabeth, NJCU bounced back nicely in the opening set with a .545 attack percentage on 12 kills and no errors (22 attacks), to set the tone for the match. Stevenson had three aces in the opening set to help the Knights surge out to a 13-5 lead before Hatcher floored three consecutive kills, with another from Scarpa expanding the advantage to 18-6. NJCU won the opening period, 25-10.
 
All four attack errors for NJCU came in the second set when the Knights hit .235 (8-4-17). Medley hit .750 in the game (3-0-4) and Martinez floored three aces. Leading 12-9, an ace by senior middle blocker BRITTANY EREZUMA (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) and a Martinez kill made it 15-9 and Martinez added two more aces for a 19-10 lead before Erezuma sealed the set with one of her three kills in the match.
 
The third set was all NJCU as the Knights hit an incredible .714, smashing five kills in seven opportunities without committing an error. Conversely, Medgar, which hit in the red for the contest (15-17-49, -.041), had a -.286 percentage in the final game (three kills, seven errors, 14 attempts). NJCU jumped out to a 17-4 lead and never trailed in the game. Stevenson served eight consecutive times, landing a pair of aces and Scarpa added a two more aces late in the set, just prior to match point.
 
After a day off on Sunday, the Knights are back on the court on Monday, October 15 at 7 p.m. when they host John Jay College at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.