New Jersey City University Athletics

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BRONXVILLE, NY (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In a match that became a serving showcase, New Jersey City University unleashed 22 aces and swept host Sarah Lawrence College, 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-18), in the final match of the Sarah Lawrence Invitational on September 22. With the win, NJCU finished the four-match tournament weekend with a 3-1 ledger and second place in the field.
 
NJCU upped its record to 4-8 on the season in its first-ever meeting with Sarah Lawrence (2-9). The Gothic Knights held a 25-13 margin over the Gryphons in kills. SLC stayed in the match by serving 17 aces.
 
NJCU senior libero CINDY GARCIA (West New York, NJ/Memorial) was the only one of 15 healthy Gothic Knights to not play in the match but was still named to the All-Tournament Team after compiling 50 digs in 10 sets over three matches—a 5.00 per set average.
 
Junior opposite ASHLEY LATUSHKO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) paced the serving bonanza, uncorking nine aces. She added eight digs and three kills.
 
Freshman outside hitter ELYSSA MAGEE (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) had four aces and five digs in three sets while junior setter KITRINA OGLESBY (Ossining, NY/Ossining) recorded four aces in two games. Freshman defensive specialist VALERIE BALLESTAS (Weehawken, NJ/Weehawken) finished with three aces.
 
Offensively, junior middle hitter INDIGO HATCHER (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) hit .625 with six kills and one error (eight attempts), while stuffing two solo blocks. Freshman middle blocker SHEGE HAXHAJ (Lyndhurst, NJ/Lyndhurst) added six kills. Junior setter MADELYN LEON (West New York, NJ/Memorial) provided 12 assists.
 
Kitty O'Sullivan finished with seven kills and four aces for SLC. Janet Tonyan tallied nine assists and five aces including four in a row in the opening period.
 
NJCU hit .172 as a team for the match and limited the Gryphons to a -.062 rate. SLC did not have more than five kills in any set.
 
The Knights had 10 kills in game one, landing seven aces in the period. Trailing 20-17, NJCU concluded the set on an 8-0 run, winning 25-20 as Latushko accounted for five of the final seven points with aces, including three straight to close the game.
 
In set two, NJCU registered seven more aces. Tied at 15, Oglesby gave NJCU the lead for good with three aces in a row for an 18-15 lead. Latushko served two more aces to build a 22-16 advantage. NJCU led for most of the final set but the hosts kept it close. Ahead 19-18, the Knights scored the final six points, including three consecutive aces by Ballestas, before clinching the win, 25-18.
 
NJCU returns to action on Tuesday, September 24 at 7 p.m. when it hosts Montclair State University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference meeting at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.