New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com)...New Jersey City University and William Paterson University traded 16 ties and 12 lead changes in the final two sets of a tight match that could have gone either way, with the Pioneers outlasting NJCU, 3-1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-22. 27-25) in the New Jersey Athletic Conference opener for both schools on Thursday night at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on “Coach Charlie Brown Court.”
 
NJCU loses its first match of the season (3-1, 0-1 NJAC) while WPU improves to 8-1 (1-0 NJAC). The Pioneers lead the all-time series, 35-12. The schools combined for 18 ball handling errors and each had 24 attack errors.
 
In defeat, sophomore middle blocker JADE MEDLEY (Queens, NY/Hudson Catholic) had a great effort at the net, slamming a match-high 11 kills and a .241 attack percentage while stuffing five blocks, including four solo. Sophomore outside hitter MARISSA SCARPA (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) notched her first career double-double and her second highest career kills mark, finishing with 10 winners (10-5-31, .161) and 13 digs. It was her 10^th career effort of double figures in digs.
 
The Pioneers received 11 kills (.129, 11-7-31) from sophomore outside hitter Taylor Woegens (Bogota, NJ/Bogota) while senior setter Liz Dykhouse (Wanaque, NJ/Lakeland Regional) nearly had a triple-double, finishing with 20 assists, nine digs and eight kills and hit .500 without an attack error (16 attempts).
 
NJCU had leads of 22-21 in the third set before WPU scored the final four points to gain a 2-1 lead in the match. The Gothic Knights also held a 24-22 advantage in the fourth set, needing just one to force a fifth game before the visitors scored five of the final six points to win the match in four sets. NJCU was playing without starting setter/outside hitter KIARA MARTINEZ (Newark, NJ/East Side) who was injured in the team's win over York College (NY) on Tuesday.
 
“It was a very tough loss for the ladies tonight, especially without one of our top players,” noted first-year head coach Ray Vance, who suffered his first loss as a collegiate head coach. “We fought hard to the end and a couple of minor mistakes could have gotten us the win. We are definitely headed in the right direction and I am looking forward to taking the next steps this weekend in the Delaware Valley tri-match and into our conference schedule in the weeks ahead.”
 
Also for NJCU, sophomore middle blocker INDIGO HATCHER (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) had another outstanding effort, hitting .250 with seven kills (one error, 24 attacks), six aces and two solo blocks.
 
Sophomore setter CINDY GARCIA (West New York, NJ/Memorial) had 29 assists and a match-high 16 digs, notching her 13^th career double-double. Sophomore libero JAMIKA STEVENSON (Jersey City, NJ/Hoboken) matched her career high with 15 digs for the second straight outing and senior outside hitter BRITTANY EREZUMA (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) defended a career-high 13 digs—her second career effort of double figure digs.
 
For the Pioneers, sophomore libero Katelyn Malloy (Leonia, NJ/Leonia) equaled a match-high with 16 digs. Sophomore setter Danielle Koukos (Midland Park, NJ/Midland Park) added a double-double with 11 assists and 10 digs while junior outside hitter Amanda Morales (Lyndhurst, NJ/Lyndhurst) chipped in 14 digs and four aces.
 
In the opening set, NJCU landed 12 kills and jumped out to leads of 12-7 and 18-12. The Pioneers made a late push to cut it to 23-21 and a Malloy ace made it a one-point game before Scarpa landed a kill for a 25-23 win. Scarpa hit .444 in the period with five kills (5-1-9).
 
The Pioneers never trailed in the second set to even the match at 1-1. After a tie at 14-14, WPU scored 10 of the next 12 points to seize a 24-16 lead, winning 25-18. WPU had a 12-4 advantage in kills in the period and limited the Knights to a -.136 attack rate.
 
NJCU opened an 11-6 lead in the third set. An out-of-rotation call reverted the score from 13-8 to 12-9, but the Knights continued to hold a modest lead. A kill by Erezuma made it a 16-12 margin. Two kills from Woegens closed the gap to 17-16 before a Hatcher winner made it 19-16. But a number of unforced over balls allowed the Pioneers to mount a comeback and gain a 20-19 edge. Two blocks by Medley and a kill sparked NJCU to three consecutive points and a 22-20 advantage. However the visitors chalked up the final five points of the game, thanks to three NJCU attack errors, one ace by Koukos and a kill by freshman outside hitter Issel Garcia (Ridgefield Park, NJ/Ridgefield Park) on set point for a 25-22 decision. Woegens hit .571 with four kills and no errors for the Pioneers in the frame.
 
The final set was the most chaotic with 11 ties and eight lead changes. Medley had five kills and no errors in the period (.455) and Scarpa and Erezuma each provided three winners as NJCU had a 13-10 edge in kills in the set.
 
WPU led 15-11 before an ace by Hatcher and Medley kill made it a two-point contest After regaining possession down two after a Scarpa kill, the Knights scored the next three points, tying it on a Scarpa winner before Medley put the Knights ahead by one. Tied 19-19, WPU regained a 22-20 margin on a Dykhouse kills, moments after an ace from Koukos. A kill by Erezuma made it a one-point game and back-to-back double contacts by the Pioneers put NJCU in front, 23-22. Erezuma slipped a tip kill over two blockers for a 24-22 lead and set point before Dykhouse won a joust for a 24-23 deficit and Morales tied it with an ace. Junior middle hitter Erika Masso (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) put the Pioneers up 25-24 but committed an attack error on the first match point. Masso then chalked up a kill at 26-25 after a collision at the net and won 27-25 when a Gothic Knight attack sailed long.
 
“I could not be more proud of the work put in by our team to get to where we are and our middles, Indigo and Jade, were dominant at times and continue to excel,” said Vance. “JAMIKA STEVENSON and MARISSA SCARPA did a great job with their ball control and defense and Marissa's offense has made her into a vital part of our offensive and defensive systems. CINDY GARCIA did a great job distributing the ball and provided great defense and leadership.”
 
NJCU is back on the courth this Saturday, September 15 beginning at 10 a.m. with a tri-match against Delaware Valley College and Cairn University, hosted by DVC in Doylestown, Pa.