MAHWAH, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) |  Ramapo College hit .398 as a team and had two players notch double figures in kills as the Roadrunners ousted the New Jersey City University men's volleyball team in the Skyline Conference semifinals on April 9, prevailing, 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-17) at the Bill Bradley Center. It was the fourth year in a row NJCU lost in the league semifinals and the second time falling to RCNJ (2011, 2015).
 
Ramapo, the second seed, improved to 19-16 and advanced to face top-seeded and three-time defending champion Kean, ranked No. 5 in Division III, in the league finals on April 11. Kean eliminated No. 4 seeded Mount Saint Vincent, 3-0. Third-seeded NJCU dropped its sixth match in a row, falling to 17-15.
 
Ramapo hit .398 with 44 kills in 83 swings (11 errors), led by Ryan Casci who hit .571 with 14 kills (14-2-21) with two blocks. Freshman Justin Feigeles (Bellmore, NY) added 10 kills in 18 swings without an error (.556) with six digs. Nick Amos chipped in eight kills at a .583 rate (8-1-12) as the Roadrunners' top three offensive players accounted for 32 of its 44 winners. Also for RCNJ, setter Alec Weissman (East Brunswick, NJ) dished 35 assists and two blocks.
 
NJCU couldn't get much of an offensive showing going as junior outside hitter Daque Wilcox (Camden, NJ/Camden County Tech) was the top kill producer with seven (.235, 7-3-17). Freshman setter/right side John Leon (Guatemala City, Guatemala/Colegio Interamericano de Guatemala) finished with 12 assists and five kills.
 
Also for NJCU, freshman setter Eric Maldonado (Jersey City, NJ/County Prep) had 11 assists. Junior libero Nick Poh (Richmond, VA/Varina) defended eight digs. Junior opposite Kendall Tribbett (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) chipped in four kills and two blocks and sophomore middle hitter Sheldon Coure (Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo Union) had three kills in 10 swings (.200, 3-1-10).
 
In the first set, Ramapo overcame seven early ties and a pair of lead changes by hitting .385 with 14 kills (14-4-26). Knotted at 9-9, Ramapo put away four consecutive kills, including three by Casci, and claimed a 13-9 edge. RCNJ extended the margin to 20-14 before pulling away.
 
In game two, Ramapo hit .484 and collected 16 kills to withstand eight early ties. But in a similar script as the opening set, Ramapo separated itself from a 10-10 tie with six consecutive points, highlighted by four straight kills with two from the arm of Casci. The lead swelled to 22-14.
 
Ramapo never trailed in game three and the outcome became a formality after the Roadrunners burst out to a 9-1 lead, extended it to 15-3, and managed to hold off a rally by NJCU midway through the period when the Knights used an 8-1 run to trim the deficit from 17-7 to 18-15. Still down three (19-16), an NJCU service error followed by three straight kills, including back-to-back winners by Garrett Fitzsimmons, was enough to seal it.
 
QUOTES:
NJCU head coach Robert Cole (second season)
 
On the disappointing outcome: "It was frustrating the same mistakes that have haunted us all year continued to hurt us today. I was disappointed with our effort and our execution."
 
On the fan support, including those who traveled on the fan bus: "We really appreciated all the fans who made the trip tonight. We're sorry we didn't give you more to cheer about."
 
OF NOTE:

• Ramapo leads all-time series, 51-11, and has won the last 22 meetings since 2006. Ramapo won all three meetings in 2015 by a 3-0 result.
• Sheldon Coure is two kills shy of 500 (498, 62 matches)

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU will await a potential ECAC Division III South Tournament bid next week. If selected, the tournament would be April 18. Otherwise, the 26th season of NJCU men's volleyball will end with a winning record, two games above .500.