New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score PURCHASE, NY (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Three-time Skyline Rookie of the Week and freshman middle hitter SHELDON COURE (Torrance, CA/Redondo Union (CA)) pounded out 13 kills with four blocks, and reigning Skyline Player of the Week BILL LE (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) tacked on 10 kills as New Jersey City University secured its third consecutive berth in the Skyline Conference Tournament in three seasons as an associate member of the league in men's volleyball by defeating host Purchase College, 3-1 (23-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-21) on April 8.
 
NJCU (12-16) wraps up the 14-match Skyline season at 8-6 while knocking off Purchase (7-13, 4-10 Skyline) by a 3-1 tally for the second time this season. The Knights had a 10-2.5 margin in blocks in the match.
 With the win, NJCU clinched the No. 4 seed in the Skyline Tournament and will face two-time champion, top-seeded and #12 ranked Kean University on Saturday, April 12 at 1 p.m. in the Skyline semifinals at Kean's Harwood Arena.
 
Coure hit .296 with 13 winners (13-5-27)—his 11^th double-figure kills effort of the season—adding four blocks (two solo) and two aces. Le reached double figures in kills for the fourth time in his last five matches (10-7-22, .136) while adding six digs and sophomore middle hitter DAQUE WILCOX (Camden, NJ/Camden County Tech) hit .444 with nine winners and just one error (9-1-18) while chipping in four blocks and two aces.
 
Senior setter and captain GARY PRESTON, JR. (North East MD/Rising Sun (MD)) dished 36 assists with eight digs and five kills. Sophomore opposite KENDALL TRIBBETT (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) provided eight kills (8-5-27, .111), seven digs and six blocks (five assisted). Sophomore JON DIAZ (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne), typically NJCU's starting libero, moved to the outside and had eight digs and two blocks. Freshman DESMOND LEIGH (Montclair, NJ/Montclair) played libero and notched eight digs.
 
"I'm very proud of our guys for not letting a rough start define their season [0-8]," said first-year head coach Robert Cole. "They continue to grow every day. But now it's a clean slate and we have to prove we belong."
 
Purchased received a match-high 17 kills from Kevon Kareem Bruce, but he also committed 10 attack errors in 37 chances (.189) while finishing with three aces and two blocks. Kevin Carges collected 13 kills (13-7-36, .167) and added 12 digs and two aces for a double-double.
 Also for the Panthers, setter Andrew Schwab tallied 27 assists, nine digs, four kills (4-1-8, .375) and two aces. Riley Damerell hit .364 with five kills (5-1-11) and six assists.
 
Purchase got off to a good start, never trailing in the first set when it had a 14-9 advantage in kills and outhit NJCU, .241 to .027. The Panthers opened leads of 11-3 and 15-5 and despite NJCU closing the gap still led 23-17 and 24-21 before holding on for dear life and a 25-23 decision after the Knights drew within one point late.
 
NJCU had 13 kills in game two and never trailed after the first few points of the period, opening a six-point margin in the middle of the set before prevailing by five (25-20).
 
The Knights never trailed in the final two sets. In the third set, NJCU opened a huge 17-9 advantage and led 23-16 and 24-20 before two attack errors, an ace for being out of rotation and a setting error allowed the Panthers to tie the game for the first time at 24-24. But NJCU responded as Coure pounded a ball to the floor then teamed with Tribbett on a double block of Carges for a 26-24 win.
 
The fourth set was dominated offensively by NJCU with a 16-8 differential in kills and a .462 team attack percentage (16-4-26). After Kareem Bruce tied it at 17-17 with a kill, Coure answered, putting away a kill before he stuffed Kareem Bruce solo and two more Purchase attack errors made it 21-17. Leading 23-20, kills by Le and Wilcox sealed the 25-21 win.
 
NJCU will conclude the regular season on Wednesday, April 9 at 7 p.m. in a difficult road match against nationally No. 2 ranked SUNY New Paltz (23-3) in New Paltz, NY. New Paltz has been ranked as high as No. 1 in the country this year.