New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University snapped a lengthy losing streak behind stellar offensive efforts by rookie middle hitter Shege Haxhaj (Lyndhurst, NJ/Lyndhurst) and junior outside hitter JADE MEDLEY (Queens, NJ/Hudson Catholic), and the Gothic Knights cruised to a 3-0 sweep of SUNY Old Westbury, 25-11, 25-11, 25-14 in the opening match of an NJCU Tri-Match on November 1 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. In the second match on 'Coach Charlie Brown Court', Catholic University rebounded from a big first-set deficit to defeat NJCU, 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-14).
 
NJCU snapped a 13-match losing streak with the win over Old Westbury (6-18) as the Knights (7-27) split Friday's action, winning for the first time since a 3-2 decision against Rutgers-Newark on October 10. In the final match of the evening, Catholic (20-14) breezed past Old Westbury, 3-0 (25-11, 25-12, 25-10), to wrap up a 2-0 effort.
 
Senior libero CINDY GARCIA (West New York, NJ/Memorial) had 33 digs in the two matches—her 44^th and 45^th career efforts with double digits in digs. Now with 998 career digs, she is two shy of becoming the ninth player in school history with 1,000 and would do so in just three seasons at NJCU—and her first in the libero position.
 
Medley finished with a combined 19 kills in the two matches, reaching double digits in kills for the 22^nd time in her career and ninth time this season. She moved into eighth place in school history with 668 career kills.
  Haxhaj equaled her career high with a dozen kills, reaching double figures in winners for the fifth time this season and third time in four matches, as she   it .280 with 12 winners (12-5-25). Medley posted a .417 percentage in a new position on the outside, planting 11 kills against just one error (24 attempts). The tandem combined for 23 of NJCU's 36 kills and the Knights posted a sizzling .278 team hitting percentage, courtesy of a 36-17 advantage in winners and just 11 errors in 90 attempts. The team percentage was NJCU's second highest of the season.
 
Junior setter MADELYN LEON (West New York, NJ/Memorial) had a .348 setting percentage, 24 assists and five of NJCU's 18 service aces. The Gothic Knights only trailed twice in the entire match.
 
Garcia provided 14 digs and a pair of aces and landed three kills in six tries from the back row for a .500 clip. Meanwhile, junior opposite ASHLEY LATUSHKO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) chipped in five aces and six digs and junior outside hitter MARISSA SCARPA (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) had a solid all-around effort with a .625 attack percentage on five kills in eight chances (no errors), six digs and two aces. In all, six Gothic Knights had at least two aces and 13 players saw the floor.
 
OW's top performer was Jocelyn Small with 16 digs but she hit -.120 with five kills and eight errors. Offensively, Rayn Brown hit .308 with five kills (5-1-13) and five assists and Mudeline Derisma had five kills for a .238 rate (5-0-21) and six digs. Allie Giancola finished with eight digs and Samantha Howley chipped in eight assists.
 
NJCU had double figures in kills in each set, finishing with 10 in game one (10-3-35, .200) before hitting a spectacular .409 in game two with 12 kills (12-3-22). The Knights capped the tri-match opener with 14 kills at a .273 clip (14-5-33) in game three.
 
After OW scored first in game one, NJCU took control at 6-2 behind a pair of Medley winners. The Panthers closed within 6-4 before NJCU unleashed a 9-1 run to seize a 15-5 advantage behind the serving of Latushko (two aces), two kills by Scarpa, and two aces by rookie defensive specialist JESSICA PEREZ (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park). The Knights opened a 23-9 lead before taking the set, 25-11.
 
NJCU led from start to finish in game two, opening a 10-3 lead before surging in front, 20-6 and again winning, 25-11. In the final set, OW scored the first two points before an 8-2 run put NJCU in front for good. Five straight points in the middle of the game, highlighted by three kills by Haxhaj, opened the lead to 19-11 and the hosts cruised from there.
  In the second match, NJCU was limited to an .037 attack percentage and dropped a 3-0 decision. The Cardinals hit .238 overall with 41 kills (41-16-105).
 
For Catholic, Kalen Backe put away 13 kills (13-2-24) for a .458 attack percentage and two aces and Mary Paige Nesfeder added 10 kills and seven digs at a .185 clip (10-5-27). Kathryn Herrington hit .444 with eight kills and no errors (18 attempts), adding two blocks (one solo) and Audrey Bizak delivered a .500 percentage and six winners (6-1-10), adding three blocks (two solo).

The Cardinals had a fine defensive effort from Michelle Bouchard with 17 digs. Mariana Cruz dished 26 assists and nine digs in the first two sets before the lone New Jersey product on the roster, sophomore setter Colleen Farley (Chester, NJ) tallied 10 assists in game three.
 
Medley was NJCU's top offensive performer in the loss, landing eight kills. Garcia had 19 digs, including 10 in game one. Scarpa defended nine digs, unleashed five of NJCU's seven service aces and hit .231 with four kills (4-1-13). Leon added 18 assists and two blocks and junior middle blocker INDIGO HATCHER (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln), who didn't play in match one, collected six kills and three blocks.
 
NJCU had a 10-9 edge in kills in the opening game and held leads of 3-0, 6-2 and 9-3 before CUA rallied. After ties at 13 and 14-14, NJCU pushed the lead back to 17-14 and still clung to an 18-16 differential. But Catholic went on a 9-1 run to clinch a 25-19 win.
 
CUA had a sizable 19-5 advantage in kills in game two and the Cardinals hit .406 in the period. Still, there were six ties and four lead changes in the game. But with the Knights down by two late, 19-17, Herrington landed back-to-back kills, Nesfeder added another and Backe floored an ace for a 23-17 cushion and the guests scored six of the final seven points. CUA had a 12-9 margin in third set winners and never trailed. It opened a 17-9 lead and cruised to victory.
 
NJCU will conclude its season on Saturday, November 2 with a two-court, six-match November Quad, featuring Catholic, City College of New York, Farmingdale State College and St. Joseph's College (LI). NJCU faces St. Joseph's at 10 a.m., Farmingdale at noon and CCNY at 4 p.m. It will be Senior Day and NJCU will honor Garcia, its lone senior, prior to the 4 p.m. contest.