JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Sophomore middle hitter Shege Haxhaj (Lyndhurst, NJ/Lyndhurst) hit .600 with 11 kills and senior middle Jade Medley (Queens, NY/Hudson Catholic) added a .538 percentage, putting away eight attacks as New Jersey City University defeated Sarah Lawrence College for the second time this season, sweeping the Gyphons, 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-11) in non-conference action on October 30 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.
 
On Senior Night 2014, the Gothic Knights (6-23) snapped their second 10-match losing streak of the season by hitting above .300 for the second time this year. NJCU slammed 32 kills and hit .311 (32-13-61) while limiting the Gyphons (2-20) to a -.019 attack percentage (11-12-54). SLC dropped its 11^th straight.
 
Haxhaj reached double figures in kills for the sixth time this year and 11^th time as a collegian, finishing with as many kills as the entire opposing team. In addition to her line of 11-2-15, she served three of NJCU's 10 aces and was involved in all three blocks.
 
Medley put away eight kills in 13 attempts (one errors) while freshman setter Rachel McIntyre (Drexel Hill, PA/Upper Darby) dished 26 assists with six digs and two aces. Senior libero Marissa Scarpa (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) had six digs and two kills in four swings (.500) from the back-row.
 
Prior to the match, NJCU honored its five-woman senior class, which included Medley, Scarpa, right side Ashley Latushko (Kearny, NJ/Kearny), middle/outside Indigo Hatcher (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) and defensive specialist Kitrina Oglesby (Ossining, NY/Ossining).
 
No SLC player had more than three kills, four assists or five digs and the Gyphons didn't have a block in the match.
 

TEAM STAT COMPARISON
	NJCU	SLC
Score:	3	0
Attack Percentage (K-E-TA):	.311 (32-13-61)	-.019 (11-12-54)
Kills:	32	11
Assists:	30	9
Service Aces:	10	8
Digs:	28	14
Total Blocks:	3.0	0.0
Points:	45.0	19.0

NJCU hit .350 in the first set when it never trailed. Up 14-10, the Knights pushed the lead to six which grew to 18-11 on a combo block by Hatcher and Haxhaj before a long swing made it 19-11. SLC never got closer than five (21-16) the rest of the set. Kills by Medley and Hatcher pushed the margin back to seven (23-16) before Medley demolished a set and the Knights won 25-17.
 

Despite 10 ties and three lead changes in the second set, NJCU's 10-4 margin in kills paid off at the end. SLC led by two, 20-18, after the clubs traded three straight service errors. NJCU chalked up the next five points—tying it at 20-20 on an ace by McIntyre before a kill by Haxhaj put the Knights ahead. After an SLC attack error, a roll shot by freshman Kira Vasconcelos (West New York, NJ/Memorial) made it 23-20 and two more winners from Haxhaj, including tip kill to an open spot on set point, led to a 25-22 win.
 
Trailing 7-4 in the third set, NJCU unleashed a decisive run—scoring the next five points for a 9-7 advantage, before extending the streak to 13-2 while seizing a 17-9 differential. The Knights scored the final six points of the night, clinching the sweep on Haxhaj's final kill.
 
QUOTES:
NJCU head coach Robert Cole (first season; third year with program), on the 2014 senior class:
"It's not the easiest thing to have three coaches in four years and not be as successful as you'd like to be. Hats off to these young ladies for showing up everyday."

OF NOTE:

• NJCU leads the all-time series with Sarah Lawrence, 4-0, all via 4-0 sweeps. The clubs first played last year.
• NJCU's .311 percentage was only shy of the .356 mark (33-12-59) line it had in a 3-0 win over SLC on September 27.
• Medley increased her career totals to 1,109.0 points, 950 kills and 187 blocks (109 solo). She needs 50 more kills in the final four matches of the season to become the fourth Gothic Knight with 1,000 career kills. Sarah Torres (2005-08) with 961 kills is next on the all-time list, just 11 kills away.

WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU closes its 32^nd season of intercollegiate women's volleyball with the two-day NJCU November Quad on Saturday, November 1 and Sunday, November 2 with CCNY, John Jay and Staten Island. Match times both days are 12 and 2 p.m.