Box Score 1 | Box Score 3 JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Senior middle hitter Jade Medley (Queens, NJ/Hudson Catholic) finished with 19 kills in two matches and freshman Rachel McIntyre had a 28-assists, 10-ace performance in the opener as the New Jersey City University women's volleyball team won its first two matches of the 2014 season, sweeping Sarah Lawrence College and Medgar Evers, 3-0, in a non-conference tri-match at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on 'Coach Charlie Brown Court.'

The Gothic Knights were never challenged in the first match, defeating Sarah Lawrence 25-14, 25-16, 25-15. After sitting through a lengthy second match in which SLC edged Medgar Evers, 3-2 (16-25, 25-17, 14, 14-25, 25-20, 15-11), NJCU swept MEC, 25-16, 25-13, 25-16.
 
After only its second 0-10 start to a season in program history, the Knights are now 2-10. SLC is 2-9 after splitting the tri-match; MEC is 2-14.
 NJCU dominated the Gryphons, pounding out 33 kills while hitting at an impressive .356 rate. The Knights committed just 12 errors in 59 swings. Meanwhile, the Gryphons could only muster nine kills and hit -.050 (9-11-40). 
 
McIntyre had the best match of her young collegiate career, setting at a .491 success rate with 28 assists in 53 attempts and 10 aces in 22 tries. NJCU landed 17 aces as a team.
 
Medley had one less kill than the entire opposing team. She hit .636 with eight kills and one error (11 attempts). Senior middle Indigo Hatcher (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) added seven kills (7-3-14) and hit .286.
 
Sophomore outside hitter Elyssa Magee (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) posted a .571 percentage with five kills (5-1-7) and sophomore middle hitter Shege Haxhaj (Lyndhurst, NJ/Lyndhurst) collected five kills.
 
Lenie Siegel had four kills for SLC. Xina Graham-Vannais totaled eight assists. Clarisse Taboy landed three aces.

NJCU never trailed in the first set when it scored the first nine points and just briefly in game two when it hit .412 (11-4-17). The Knights capped the sweep with 12 kills in the third set at a .360 clip (12-3-25).
 
In the first set, McIntyre served seven of her 10 aces including five during the opening 9-0 spurt. SLC battled back to make it a 17-13 contest before NJCU scored eight of the final nine points with a pair of aces by McIntyre leading to a 24-14 edge. NJCU rolled in the second and third sets, opening up a comfortable 9-3 lead in the final game.
 In the final match, Haxhaj had more kills individually (14) than Medgar Evers as a team (13) and Medley added 11 more for good measure as the Knights had a nearly 3:1 ratio in winners, producing a 37-13 differential on attack. NJCU hit .295 (37-14-78) and had six blocks to help hold the Cougars well below .000 (13-21-68, -.118).
 
Haxhaj pounded out 14 winners on 24 attempts with just two errors, hitting an even .500 while adding four aces and two blocks. Medley hit .571 with 11 kills in 14 swings (three errors) while rejecting three blocks. The two middles combined for 25 of NJCU's 37 put aways.

 
McIntyre dished 27 assists for NJCU and freshman opposite Kira Vasconcelos (West New York, NJ/Memorial) posted four blocks.
 
For the Cougars, only Kiwelewa Mlimwengu was in positive attack territory with five kills (5-2-19, .158) and seven digs. AnnMarie Bemberry had 12 digs and nine assists.
 
Medgar played NJCU tightly for much of the early first set and pulled within one (14-13) before NJCU used a 7-1 run to pull in front, 21-14, with Haxhaj flooring consecutive kills. NJCU never trailed in the second or third sets. Tied 8-8 in game two, the Knights reeled off an 11-3 spurt to gain a 19-11 lead. The Knights opened a 16-5 margin in the third set and never looked back.
 
QUOTES:
NJCU head coach Robert Cole (first season; third year with program):
"It feels good to get into the win column today. The team had good chemistry and we were able to execute on a few things we've been working on recently. We're looking forward to Tuesday."
 
OF NOTE:

• NJCU leads the all-time series with Sarah Lawrence, 3-0, all via 3-0 sweeps. The clubs first played last year.
• NJCU leads the all-time series with Medgar Evers, 16-0. All 16 matches have been sweeps.
• NJCU's .356 attack percentage against Sarah Lawrence was its highest since hitting .457 against Medgar Evers (25-4-46) on October 13, 2012.
• It was NJCU's first win since Saturday November 2, 2013 against the City College of New York when it won, 3-1 (27-25, 19-25, 25-22, 25-19). It was also its first sweep since Friday November 1, 2013 against SUNY Old Westbury 3-0 (25-11, 25-11, 25-14).
• Shege Haxhaj's 14 kills were two shy of her personal best of 16 in five sets against Marywood on September 7. She reached double figures in kills for the seventh time in her career and the third time in a three-set match. The 14 kills are her most in a three-set length contest.
• With 11 kills, Jade Medley reached double figures in kills in a match for the seventh time this season and 31^st time in her career, accomplishing the feat for the 10th time in a three-set contest.
• Robert Cole claimed his first win as women's head coach.
• Rachel McIntyre's 10 aces were the most by an NJCU server since Tabitha Jordan landed 10 in a 3-0 win over St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) on October 19, 2010.
• Jade Medley is three solo blocks shy of 100 for her career (97).
• With 797 kills, Jade Medley passed Francia Almonte (778 kills, 1997-00) for sixth place in school history.
• Jade Medley's career totals increased to 939.0 points, 797 kills and 169 blocks. The all-time leaders (table to left).

WHAT'S NEXT?

NJCU All-Time Leaders: Kills
1.	2894	Lizzelle Cintron (.438)	2004-07
2.	1352	Jacqueline LeBlanc (.251)	2005-08
3.	1143	Melissa Pablos (.198)	2000-03
4.	961	Sarah Torres (.234)	2005-08
5.	857	Cheryl Nitschke (.159)	1992-95
6.	797	Jade Medley (.183)	2011-14
7.	778	Francia Almonte (.165)	1997-00
8.	680	Bernadette Fash (.197)	1992-95
9.	654	Tabitha Jordan (.072)	2008-11
10.	633	Glorinell Perez (.140)	2004-07
* Note: Lizzelle Cintron ranks No. 3 in Division III history and fifth in NCAA Division I, II or III history
NJCU All-Time Leaders: Blocks
1.	653	Lizzelle Cintron (491 sets)	2004-07
2.	307	Sarah Torres (448 sets)	2005-08
3.	203	Melissa Pablos (391 sets)	2000-03
4.	171	Marcia Penha (292 sets)	1998-99,01-02
5.	169	Jade Medley (339 sets)	2011-14
6.	152	Rasheed Muhammad (215 sets)	1996-98
7.	132	Meagan Roberts (214 sets)	2004-05
8.	128	Nadia DaSilva (417 sets)	2004-07
9.	112	Jacqueline LeBlanc (390 sets)	2005-08
	112	Cara Strzelczyk (103 sets)	2002
NJCU All-Time Leaders: Points
1.	3604.5	Lizzelle Cintron	(2894k 229a 310-343b)	2004-07
2.	1594.5	Melissa Pablos	(1143k 271a 158-45b)	2000-03
3.	1558.5	Jacqueline LeBlanc	(1352k 140a 21-91b)	2005-08
4.	1244.5	Sarah Torres	(961k 93a 74-233b)	2005-08
5.	1159.0	Cheryl Nitschke	(857k 274a 26-4b)	1992-95
6.	966.0	Francia Almonte	(778k 183a 4-2b)	1997-00
7.	939.0	Jade Medley	(797k 9a 97-72b)	2011-14
8.	915.5	Glorinell Perez	(633k 234a 15-67b)	2004-07
9.	893.5	Bernadette Fash	(680k 153a 53-15b)	1992-95
10.	793.5	Tabitha Jordan	(654k 137a 0-5b)	2008-11

NJCU plays its next five matches away from home. On Tuesday, September 30, NJCU visits Rutgers-Newark (7 p.m.) in a rematch of the club's only New Jersey Athletic Conference win of 2013. On Thursday, October 2 NJCU travels to Glassboro to face Rowan University. On Saturday, October 4, the Knights head to Allentown, Pa. for a tri-match at Cedar Crest College with Gwynedd Mercy University. The next home match is Thursday, October 9 against Farmingdale State College.