New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score MORRISTOWN, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University won the first two sets, but the College of St. Elizabeth rallied to force a fifth set and the host Screaming Eagles won in extended points, 3-2 (18-25, 22-25, 25-13, 25-18, 17-15) in the 2013 women's volleyball season opener for both programs on August 30. The match was the opener of a tri-match as the Gothic Knights opened their 31^st season of intercollegiate women's volleyball.
 
In a fifth set that saw seven ties, including 9-9 and 11-11, and three lead changes, NJCU led 14-12 after a pair of kills by junior outside hitter MARISSA SCARPA (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) for the 13^th and 14^th points. The Eagles survived a pair of match points to tie it at 14-14. Scarpa buried another kill for a third match point and a 15-14 advantage. But CSE received back-to-back kills from Nicole Morera and Kareema Muhammad to claim a 16-15 lead and sealed a 17-15 win when Katie Cooper landed her fifth ace of the night on the Eagles' first match point to end the 2:10 contest.
 
In defeat, five players reached double figures in digs defensively for the Knights as NJCU held St. Elizabeth to a .064 attack percentage. NJCU had a 78-50 differential in digs. Senior libero CINDY GARCIA (West New York, NJ/Memorial) had 18 digs—her 31^st career match with double figures in the category. She made her first start at libero after being NJCU's primary setter in 2011 and 2012.
 
Junior middle hitter JADE MEDLEY (Queens, NJ/Hudson Catholic) planted 10 kills and hit .273 (19-4-22) and rejected three solo blocks. It was her 14^th career effort of double-digit kills.
 
Scarpa finished with seven kills, 13 digs and two aces and junior transfer setter MADELYN LEON (West New York, NJ/Memorial) delivered a double-double of 27 assists, 14 digs and four aces in her first match at NJCU.
 
Also for the Knights, junior opposite ASHLEY LATUSHKO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny), playing in her first match for NJCU since 2010, provided 16 digs, eight kills, three assists and two aces. Freshman defensive specialist JESSICA PEREZ (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) collected 12 digs. Junior middle hitter INDIGO HATCHER (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) had six blocks (two solo) while freshman outside hitter ELYSSA MAGEE (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) chipped in four assisted blocks.
 
CSE was led by Subhana Wrights with 12 kills (12-6-32, .188) and two blocks while Kiana Cunningham finished with 11 kills and a .259 percentage (11-4-27), adding 10 digs for a double-double. Katie Cooper dished a match-high 19 digs and floored five aces while Amy Cooper was responsible for 28 assists, eight digs and four aces.
 
After registering 10 kills as a team in the opening set, the Knights held on to win set two—a game with eight ties and six lead changes—despite hitting sub-.000 and CSE owning a 10-5 margin in kills in the period. The hosts never trailed in the third and fourth sets to force a fifth set.