JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) |  Stockton University has dominated New Jersey Athletic Conference women's volleyball for the better part of a decade—winning the last seven championships—and on October 20, the New Jersey City University program dropped a 3-0 decision (25-8, 25-9, 25-16) to the defending champs. The Ospreys hit a remarkable .508 as a team with 38 kills and only five errors (65 attempts) and served 16 aces in the NJAC match played at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court).
 
Stockton improved to 24-2 overall (7-0 NJAC), winning its eighth consecutive match and for the 22nd time in 23 contest while sweeping an outing for the 14th time this year. Stockton also won for the 59th time in its last 60 conference matches. NJCU dropped to 10-14 (0-7 NJAC).
 
Stockton entered the night ranked No. 3 in Division III in hitting percentage and the .508 attack was the highest by an NJCU opponent on record since match-by-match opponents' totals were tracked beginning in the 2000 season. The previous mark was also set by Stockton on October 9, 2012 when the Ospreys hit .481 (30-4-54).
 
Stockton, which led wire-to-wire in every set, saw all 14 players see time. Senior setter Shannon Clark (Folsom, PA/Ridley) dished 18 assists in 32 attempts (.562) and was 5-for-5 on attack (1.000). Junior right side Lindsay Schuele (Sparta, NJ/Sparta) landed eight aces in 21 attempts (no errors) and hit .571 with five kills (5-1-7). Reigning NJAC Player of the Year Macy Schwartz (Mahwah, NJ/Mahwah) hit .533 with eight kills and no errors (15 attempts).
 
Junior libero Rebecka Zabilowicz (Belmar, NJ/Red Bank Regional) provided 12 digs and four aces. Junior middle hitter Idi Uffen (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) hit .500 with eight kills (8-2-12) while sophomore right side Stephanie Kovacs (Allentown, PA/Central Catholic) hit .667 with four winners (4-0-6). Freshman setter Kennedy Hubbard (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) had eight assists in 17 attempts.
 
In defeat for NJCU, rookie outside/opposite Ayleen Pittar (Union City, NJ/Union City) had five kills and two aces and junior middle hitter Shege Haxhaj (Lyndhurst, NJ/Lyndhurst) hit .333 with four kills (4-1-9). Sophomore setter Rachel McIntyre (Drexel Hill, PA/Upper Darby) had 10 assists and five digs.
 
Stockton jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the opening set as Schuele unleashed four consecutive aces. The lead swelled to 9-1 and 11-2. Ahead 19-8, Stockton scored the final six points of the set—two kills followed by four straight aces by Zabilowicz. Stockton hit .364 in game one (12-4-22).
 
The Ospreys jumped out to a 9-0 lead in game two thanks to five straight kills—three by Uffen—and extended the margin to 18-3. Stockton hit a sizzling .625 in the period with 11 kills and one error (16 attempts). Meanwhile Stockton put away 15 kills in 27 swings with no errors in the third set, hitting .556. Stockton led 8-0 to open the game before sweeping the contest.   
 
Of Note:

• Stockton leads the all-time series, 44-5.
• Stockton's attack percentage was its highest since hitting .603 against Rutgers-Newark (41-6-58) on October 15, 2009 and .515 against Gwynedd-Mercy on September 12, 2009 (36-1-68). Stockton also hit .704 (19-0-27) on September 16, 2008. All three matches were at home.

 
What's Next?:
NJCU heads to Doylestown, Pa. on Thursday, October 22 (7 p.m.) for a non-conference match against struggling Delaware Valley College (1-15, Lost 11, 0-6 home) at James Work Gymnasium. The MAC Freedom school leads the all-time series, 4-0. The schools last met on October 19, 2013 in Jersey City with a 3-0 outcome (25-16, 25-7, 25-16).