BRONX, N.Y. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Sophomore middle hitter Sheldon Coure (Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo Union), freshman middle Jalen Sorrell (Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens) and junior outside hitter Nick Poh (Richmond, VA/Varina) combined for 31 kills and the New Jersey City University men's volleyball team bounced back from a 2-1 deficit with convincing results in the fourth and fifth sets in a 3-2 (18-25, 25-17, 16-25, 25-13, 15-8) non-conference road win over Lehman College on March 17.
 
NJCU, in action for the first time since March 8, snapped a two-match skid and improved to 11-7 overall. Lehman dropped to 10-9. The Gothic Knights defeated the Lightning for the 20th time in the last 21 meetings.
 Sorrell posted a .381 attack percentage with 10 kills (10-2-21), two aces and two blocks, Coure hit .238 with 11 kills (11-6-21), three aces and two blocks and Poh produced 10 kills (10-6-22, .182) with seven digs and two blocks in a well-rounded offensive performance.
 
Rookie setter John Leon (Guatemala City, Guatemala/Colegio Interamericano de Guatemala) had a near triple-double dishing 23 assists with seven kills (7-3-16, .250) and seven digs while freshman setter Eric Maldonado (Jersey City, NJ/County Prep) gave out 19 assists and nine digs.
 
Junior outside hitter Daque Wilcox (Camden, NJ/Camden County Tech) defended 13 digs with six kills (6-2-17, .235), two aces and two blocks and junior libero Raymel Castro (Newark, NJ/Barringer) tallied 10 digs.

 

Most of Lehman's offense came from Jaleel Lino who floored a match-high 18 kills with nine digs but hit .163 with 10 errors in 49 swings. Miguel Gallardo was a kill shy of a triple-double, finishing with 16 digs, 12 assists, nine kills (9-6-25, .120) and two aces. Emmanuel Ortiz contributed 26 assists while Ahmad Abugharbieh tallied six blocks (four solo).
 
None of the sets were particularly up in the air, with the winning team doing so without much fanfare. The first set was the closest with Lehman using an 8-1 run to turn a 12-8 deficit into a 16-13 lead, pulling away for a seven-point win. The Lightning hit .333 in the game (11-3-24).
 
NJCU countered in game two, posting a .308 attack rate with 13 putaways (13-5-26), while limiting the Lightning to six kills. Tied 6-6, a 6-1 streak put NJCU in front for good, winning by eight points.

In the final three games, the victorious side never trailed or was tied. Lehman hit .500 in the third set and totaled 14 kills (14-1-26) to overcome 12 kills by the Knights. Lehman held a slim 7-6 lead before opening the margin to 15-9 and 17-10, resulting in a nine-point outcome.
 
With its backs against the wall, the Knights fought back. Despite just seven kills in game four, Lehman was forced into a -.042 percentage. NJCU burst out to a 9-2 lead and after Lehman drew within 15-12, the Knights unleashed a 10-1 run to close the set, including nine consecutive points to put an exclamation mark on the game and force a fifth set.
 
The final set was never in question. NJCU had seven kills and frustrated Lehman into a -.211 attack percentage with two kills and six attack errors. NJCU scored the first three points off Lehman attack errors—the third on a block by Coure and junior opposite Kendall Tribbett (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional), and kills by Coure and Wilcox extended the lead to 5-2 before the Knights pushed the differential to six (8-2) on another Coure/Tribbett block combo. A Coure ace made it 10-3 and NJCU pulled away from there, winning on a Coure kill.
 
QUOTES:
NJCU head coach Robert Cole (second season)
On the comeback: "It feels good to get a win when we didn't play our best. Hats off to Lehman. They never quit and were able to force the issue on us. We played better as the match went on and everyone had a part in this win."
 
OF NOTE:

• NJCU leads all-time series, 25-13 and has won 20 of last 21 meetings.
• Sheldon Coure reached double figures in kills for the 15th time in his career and third time this season.
• Jalen Sorrell reached double figures in kills for the second time this season.
• Nick Poh reached double figures in kills for the third time in his career. He matched a season high with 10 kills.
• Daque Wilcox's 13 digs are a career high. His previous best was nine.
• Raymel Castro had his second career 10+ digs effort (both this season).

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
On Saturday, March 21, NJCU hosts Sarah Lawrence College and Ramapo College in a Skyline Conference tri-match at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center, beginning at 12 p.m. It will be the first-ever meeting with Sarah Lawrence. Ramapo defeated NJCU, 3-0, in Mahwah on March 8.