MAHWAH, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Ramapo College hit .426 in the opening match and thwarted the New Jersey City University men's volleyball team attack efforts and despite 17 blocks in the second match, NJCU could not fend off the College of Mount Saint Vincent as the Gothic Knights dropped a pair of Skyline Conference matches on March 8 at the Bradley Center.
 
Ramapo (9-10, 4-1 Skyline) had 35 kills and only nine errors in 61 attempts and forced NJCU (10-7, 4-3 Skyline) into 23 attack errors in a 3-0 (25-12, 25-7, 25-13) result in the opening match of the Skyline tri-match.

Sophomore middle hitter Sheldon Coure (Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo Union) and freshman middle Jalen Sorrell (Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens) each had seven blocks in the nightcap but Mount Saint Vincent (10-5, 5-2 Skyline) avoided a season sweep at the hands of the Knights, prevailing, 3-1 (25-12, 19-25, 25-19, 25-19).NJCU suffered its most lopsided loss of the season as the Knights were held to a -.171 hitting percentage with just 11 kills in 70 attempts (23 errors). NJCU never led in the match and had just one tie in the third set.
 
Ramapo hit .426 with a line of 35-9-61, putting away 15 kills in game one (.423, 15-4-26) before posting a .625 percentage in set two with 12 kills (two errors) in 16 attempts.
 
Rookie setter Eric Maldonado (Jersey City, NJ/County Prep) had seven assists in the loss. Sorrell had three blocks.
 
In two sets of action, Ramapo's Justin Feigeles hit .533 with nine kills (9-1-15) and setter Alec Weissman finished with 18 assists and two blocks.
 
Also for the Roadrunners, Ryan Casci hit .500 with seven kills (7-2-10). Kurt MacDonald had 12 digs and Nick Amos landed three aces. Marinus Tavernier hit .500 with five kills in eight swings (one error).
 
The Roadrunners scored the first 11 points in game one and had two other 5-0 runs in the period. In game two, RCNJ used an 8-0 run to turn an 11-5 cushion into a 19-5 differential and finished the set on a 14-2 spurt. Up 13-9 in the third set, a 10-1 streak put Ramapo in position to sweep the match.
  

In the second meeting this season between the long-time rivals and the 49th meeting in the history of the series, CMSV offered its rebuttal of a February 14 neutral court sweep (25-22, 25-23, 25-23) of the Dolphins, by downing the Knights in four sets.
 
Despite an incredible 17.0 blocks for the Knights, CMSV had a 48-31 advantage in kills and reached double digits in winners in each period. Tyler Cucullu and Brett Holiday combined for 30 kills to lead the Dolphins.
 
In defeat for NJCU, Coure reached double figures in kills for the second time this season and 14th time in the last two years, smashing 10 kills at a .364 percentage (10-2-22) and produced seven blocks (two solo), five digs and two aces.
 
Sorrell stuffed seven blocks and junior opposite Kendall Tribbett (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) finished with nine digs and five blocks. Maldonado gave out 28 assists. Junior outside hitters Daque Wilcox (Camden, NJ/Camden County Tech) finished with nine digs, four blocks (two solo) and seven kills.
 
In the first set, the Dolphins used a 7-2 run to jump out to a 20-9 lead. NJCU vaulted ahead to a 7-0 margin in game two as Coure had two kills and a block. CMSV was able to draw within three points (19-16) before sealing the 25-19 win to tie the match, 1-1.
 
But CMSV would win the final two games, posting a dozen kills in each game and NJCU led just once in the third set. The Knights kept it close throughout the set and it was a one-point game (19-18) after a Wilcox winner. But back-to-back kills by Holiday, a kill by Cucullu and a block by Holliday pushed the lead to 23-18 before winning, 25-19. In the fourth set, the Dolphins jumped ahead to an 8-1 advantage, pushed it to 15-5, and pulled away.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series vs. Ramapo: The Roadrunners lead the all-time series, 49-11 and have won the last 20 meetings since 2006
• Series vs. Mount Saint Vincent: NJCU leads the series, 28-21.
• Ramapo's .426 attack percentage was an opponent season high.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU will be off for eight days during spring break until heading to Bronx, NY on Tuesday, March 11 at 7 p.m. for a non-conference match against Lehman College. NJCU leads the all-time series, 24-13, and has won 19 of the last 20 meetings. NJCU won 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-16) on February 22 in Jersey City. NJCU will begin a six-match home stand on March 21.