New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score GAME PROGRAM/NOTES: Inside-the-Athlete features, ELYSSA MAGEE and KITRINA OGLESBY

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University and the College of Staten Island played three very tight sets but the visiting Dolphins prevailed in each two-point game as CSI outlasted NJCU, 3-1—25-23, 25-23, 16-25, 25-23—in the final contest of three-match non-conference tri-match on September 11 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on 'Coach Charlie Brown Court.'
 
CSI (1-2) won its first match of the season while snapping a six-match losing streak to NJCU (1-6). NJCU lost despite a 36-31 margin in kills in the four sets. The Gothic Knights committed 60 errors in the match—highlighted by 33 attack errors, 18 service miscues, and seven reception errors.
 
In defeat, junior middle hitter JADE MEDLEY (Queens, NJ/Hudson Catholic) notched a season-high with 12 kills while hitting .250 (12-5-28) and rejecting four blocks. It was her 15^th career effort of double-digit kills and second of the season.
 
Junior outside hitter INDIGO HATCHER (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) finished with nine kills and four blocks. Junior setter MADELYN LEON (West New York, NJ/Memorial) delivered a double-double with 28 assists and 14 digs and unleashed five of NJCU's 10 service aces. Senior libero CINDY GARCIA (West New York, NJ/Memorial) defended 11 digs.
 
Staten Island had a bulk of its offensive production from two players. Sophomore middle hitter Selma Kolenovic was the most consistent, hitting .300 with 10 kills (10-4-20) while contributing three aces and two blocks. Junior middle Pola Poskrobko overcame 10 attack errors by tallying 12 kills.
 
CSI junior libero JeanMarie Lewandowski produced 27 digs. Senior setter Jennifer Samuel collected a double-double with 28 assists and 11 digs. CSI did not have more than nine kills in any set.
 
In game one, NJCU and CSI were even at 9-9 before five straight points allowed the guests to gain a 14-9 edge and eventually an 18-13 cushion. Back-to-back combo blocks by Medley and Hatcher helped NJCU nip the deficit to 18-17. CSI reopened a 23-19 edge before NJCU battled back and drew within one, 23-22, on a Garcia ace. After a Lewandowski kill, a solo block by rookie middle SHEGE HAXHAJ (Lyndhurst, NJ/Lyndhurst) made it 24-23, but Poskrobko sealed the game with a kill.
 
In set two, NJCU played itself out of contention by hitting -.158 with 13 attack errors. Despite this there were six ties in the period. NJCU had fallen behind, 20-13 before using a 9-2 spurt to even the game at 22-22, taking advantage of four CSI attack errors, an ace and a kill by Leon. Another kill by Hatcher tied it at 23-23 before winners by Kolenovic and Monica Concepcion clinched another 25-23 win.
 
NJCU drew within a game of evening the match, breezing past the Dolphins in set three, 25-16. NJCU hit .273 in the set (8-2-22) while limiting CSI to -.238 hitting with 10 errors on 21 attacks. NJCU scored the final five points of the set, including three consecutive aces by Leon.
 
NJCU lost set four despite pounding 13 kills but never led due to 10 attack errors that helped the Dolphins open a 19-12 advantage. A gritty NJCU squad battled back, scoring nine of the next 13 points. CSI opened a 24-21 cushion on a Concepcion kill before NJCU staved off two match points on a Leon kill and ace. But with the set on the line at 24-23, Poskrobko put away a ball on the outside for a third 25-23 decision to close the match.
 
NJCU will be idle for eight days until Thursday, September 18 at 7 p.m. when it opens New Jersey Athletic Conference play against William Paterson University at the Rec Center in Wayne, NJ.