JERSEY CITY N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In its second and final non-conference tri-match of the season, the New Jersey City University women's volleyball team swept Centenary University and City College of New York on October 1 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court).
 
NJCU cruised past Centenary (25-15, 25-13, 25-11) before holding off CCNY in straight sets (25-16, 25-12, 25-22). NJCU snapped a four-match losing streak with the two wins and improves to 8-6 overall.
 
In a neutral court match, CCNY (6-7) swept Centenary (1-15), 3-0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-14). | CCNY vs. Centenary: box score
 
NJCU won all six sets it played despite missing its top two offensive players—sophomore outside hitter Ayleen Pittar (Union City, N.J./Union City) and  senior middle hitter Shege Haxhaj (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst)—who entered the day having accounted for 51.7 percent of the Gothic Knight offense this season (205 of 396 kills) by were rested.
 
NJCU had 17 aces in the first match and were led offensively by a sensational effort by senior middle hitter Elyssa Magee (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) who hit .643 with a career-high 10 kills in 14 swings (one error).
 

Sophomore outside Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, N.J./Harrison) and sophomore middle hitter Nadia Montgomery (Jersey City, N.J./Hudson Catholic) impressed offensively in the win over CCNY as O'Donnell landed 10 kills for a .368 percentage (10-3-19) and Montgomery smashed nine kills at an identical .368 attack (9-2-19).
 
MATCH 1: New Jersey City University 3, Centenary University 0 (25-15, 25-13, 25-11)
Three players combined for all 17 service aces as NJCU swept the Cyclones in 57 minutes. NJCU had a 32-11 margin in kills and owned a.286 attack percentage—its third best attack percentage of the season.
 
Magee's .643 attack and 10 kills, coupled with four blocks (three solo) led the offense and sophomore libero Shaylah Ware (Newark, N.J./Science Park) uncorked more than half of the aces with nine, adding 10 digs. Freshman outside Stephanie Duque (West New York, N.J./Memorial) landed five more aces and a career-high seven kills and hit .333. Freshman defensive specialist Gabriela Diaz (Elizabeth, N.J./Edison Academy) received extended playing time and added three aces.
 
Also for NJCU, junior setter Rachel McIntyre (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby) dished 29 assists and six digs while sophomore outside Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, N.J./Harrison) added nine digs and five kills.
 
NJCU's 75 percent sideout percentage (31-41) was key in it trailing only four times in the match. The Cyclones were held to a -.075 attack percentage (11-16-67) and no player had more than three kills.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
With the score knotted at 3-3 in the first set, NJCU scored five straight points, highlighted by three straight service aces by Ware. It was the start of a 13-2 run for NJCU that was capped by Duque unleashing five consecutive aces for points 12 through 16. NJCU won the game by 10.
 
With the second set knotted at 5-5, a Centenary service error and kills by Duque, Magee, and Naiomi Cintron (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) gave the Gothic Knights a 9-5 lead. NJCU used a 10-2 run to close the second set, 25-13.
 
The Knights hit a decisive .429 in the third set (12-3-21) and again NJCU used its serving to punctuate significant runs to turn the set into a one-sided affair. Tied 4-4, a 7-0 run was dominated by Ware, who collected five service aces to push the lead to 11-4. NJCU was never challenged from there.
 
MATCH 2: New Jersey City University 3, CCNY  0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-22)
NJCU's quality hitting continued in its second match of the day as the Gothic Knights wrapped up the tri-match with a .271 attack percentage against CCNY while doubling the Beavers' kill output, 38-19. NJCU's attack percentage was above .250 in a match for the second straight match and fourth time this season.

 
O'Donnell's 10 kills, nine from Montgomery and contributions of eight kills (.263, 8-3-19) and two solo blocks by Magee accounted for 27 of NJCU's winners. McIntyre contributed 30 assists, four service aces and four kills in 10 swings (.400). Duque added seven digs and five kills.
 
Camila Franco-Diaz led CCNY with eight kills—the third player in the match to hit .368 (8-1-19).
 
NJCU dominated the first two sets, leading wire-to-wire in each period. The Knights opened a 15-5 lead in game one before cruising by nine and scored the first eight points of game two behind the serving of McIntyre. Four consecutive kills by NJCU—the latter two by Magee—made it 14-4. The Knights won by 13 for a 2-0 advantage.  
 
The third set between NJCU and CCNY was the tightest action of the day as it featured three lead changes and six ties. In contrast, NJCU's previous five sets of the day only saw a combined four lead changes. After sloppy early play, NJCU went on a 7-1 run to take a 12-8 lead. Up 15-10, CCNY battled back to tie it at 15-15 as Franco-Diaz notched four consecutive kills. An ace by CCNY evened it at 22-22 and a service error made it 23-23. But a bad set by the Beavers, a Magee ace and a Montgomery kill accounted for the final three points as NJCU clinched the sweep.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series vs Centenary: NJCU leads all-time series, 22-6, and has won the last 16 meetings since September 19, 1998.
• Series vs CCNY: NJCU leads all-time series, 17-16, and has won the last four meetings.
• Amber O'Donnell reached double figures in kills for the third time in her career and second time this week.
• Shaylah Ware had a career-high nine services aces against Centenary.
• Rachel McIntyre had at least 30 assists in a match for the seventh time this season.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU looks for its third win in a row when it returns to the court on Wednesday, October 5 on the road against York College (NY) in Jamaica, Queens, N.Y. before returning home to face Clarks Summit University on Thursday, October 6. Both matches begin at 7:00 p.m.