New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 GAME PROGRAM/NOTES: Gothic Knight Insights feature, DAQUE WILCOX

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Sophomore middle hitter DAQUE WILCOX (Camden, NJ/Camden County Tech) floored eight kills in back-to-back matches and freshman middle hitter SHELDON COURE (Torrance, CA/Redondo Union (CA)) had a pair of strong performances including a 10-kill, .769 attack showing in the nightcap as New Jersey City University swept two non-conference men's volleyball matches from Lehman College on February 22. NJCU won the first match, 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 25-7) before posting its highest hitting percentage in a match in three seasons in the second contest, 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-16). Both matches were played at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center ('Coach Charlie Brown Court').
 
After losing its first eight matches of the season, NJCU (3-8) has run off three consecutive wins and won nine of its last 10 sets. Lehman (4-6) lost its fourth straight after a 4-0 start to the season.
 
"It was a good effort and good team wins today," said first-year head coach Robert Cole. "We had some guys playing out of position to start the first match and the guys embraced the role. I still wish we played with more energy and a greater sense of purpose. It's time to really turn the corner and start playing the way we're capable of playing."
 
The Gothic Knights combined for 28 service aces in the six sets and had a 69-34 margin in kills in the two matches.
  In the opener, five of the 10 players who saw action collected at least four kills as NJCU hit .296 (34-10-81) and landed 13 aces.
 
Wilcox played only two sets but in that time smashed eight kills and no errors (13 attempts) for a .615 attack percentage, adding three blocks. Sophomore opposite KENDALL TRIBBETT (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) equaled his South Jersey teammate with eight kills, a .538 percentage (8-1-3) and two blocks.
 
Junior outside hitter BILL LE (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) had a standout all-around effort with six kills (6-3-14, .214) and six aces while Coure hit .333 with six kills (6-1-15) and three blocks.
 
Senior setter GARY PRESTON, JR. (North East MD/Rising Sun (MD)) delivered 24 assists in 61 sets (.393), unleashed four aces and hit .500 with four kills (4-0-8). Sophomore libero JON DIAZ (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) started on the outside and had seven digs.
 
Sophomore outside Jaleel Lino totaled seven of the Lightning's 13 kills, adding seven digs while junior outside Miguel Gallardo finished with 10 digs and seven assists. Lehman was limited to a -.136 attack percentage with 13 kills against 22 errors.

Offensively, NJCU improved as the match went on. The Knights slammed 10 kills in game one (10-5-31) and put away 15 in set two (15-5-38, .263) before unleashing a .750 team attack percentage in the third set—nine kills and no errors in 12 attempts. Lehman was held to a negative attack rate in the first (5-9-28, -.143) and third sets (-.375, 2-8-16).
 
Leading by just two in the opening set, 18-16, the Knights unleashed a 7-0 run to close the game behind the serving of Diaz. Preston had kills on two of the final four points from the setting position.
 
In game two, the Knights were ahead 13-10 before creating a cushion at 19-13. Leading 20-16, NJCU scored the final five points of the set, winning 25-16 behind the serve of Preston.
 
In game three, the Knights exploded out to a 14-2 advantage behind the serving of Le, who uncorked four consecutive aces. The lead expanded to an incredible 23-5 differential as another 8-0 spurt was produced before NJCU crushed the Lightning, 25-7.
In the second match of the doubleheader, NJCU posted its highest team hitting percentage since March, 2011, as the Knights slammed 35 kills versus eight errors in 61 swings for a .443 attack. NJCU also uncorked 15 aces as a team.
 
Coure posted a scintillating effort with 10 kills and no errors in 13  attempts for a .769 attack. It was his second career double-digit kill showing. He chipped in three aces and two blocks.
 
Wilcox was solid again, slamming eight kills (8-3-15) at a .333 rate while Preston delivered 24 assists in 45 tries for a .533 success rate. The senior captain added three kills in four swings (3-1-4, .500) and four service aces.
 
Sophomore outside ANGEL MARTINEZ (Pleasantville, NJ/Pleasantville) hit .500 with six winners (6-1-10), two aces and two blocks and Le finished with six kills (6-2-13, .308).
 
Sophomore defensive specialist JORDON CASILLAS (Clifton, NJ/Passaic County Tech) entered the second match with just one ace in 13 sets this season and five in 34 career games but equaled that career total in just two sets–ripping off five service aces.
 
Gallardo finished with a match-high 11 kills, adding nine assists and five digs to account for more than half of Lehman's offensive output. Lino had 10 assists, six kills and six digs.

In the match two decision, NJCU had double figures in kills in each set—14 in game one when it hit .522 (14-2-23), 10 in game two (10-3-18, .389) and 11 more in the final game behind a .400 percentage (11-3-20). Lehman was limited to seven, six, and eight kills, respectively. NJCU never trailed or was tied in the second or third sets.
 
In game one, NJCU held an 8-6 edge before an 11-2 outburst, led by the serving of Martinez and Wilcox, upped the margin to 19-8. The run expanded to 14-3 and the lead to 22-9.
 
The Knights scored the first seven points of the second set, including three aces by Preston and two kills and a block from Coure. Up 13-4, NJCU routed the Lightning in the period. Similarly, NJCU jumped out to a 7-1 lead in game three—three straight attack errors by Lino, followed by kills from Coure, Martinez and Wilcox. NJCU never looked back, eventually leading 22-11 after another 7-1 spurt.
 
NJCU is back on the court on Thursday, February 27 in Skyline Conference action against Yeshiva University in New York, NY.

NOTES:

NJCU leads the all-time series, 24-13 and has won 19 of the last 20 meetings. NJCU's .443 attack percentage in the second match was its highest since hitting .479 against CCNY on March 18, 2011. The 15 service aces were a season high and the most since landing 16 at NYU-Poly on February 17, 2013. Both matches were a makeup of a January 26 postponement vs. Lehman and Penn State-Altoona.