JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Kean University had 39 kills and hit .300 overall in a 3-0 win over the New Jersey City University women's volleyball team (25-15, 25-16, 25-18) in NJCU's final home match of the 2016 season on October 13.
 
Senior Night Photo Gallery

Prior to the New Jersey Athletic Conference match at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court), senior middle hitters and team captains Elyssa Magee (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) and Shege Haxhaj (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) were honored for their contributions to the team over the last four years.
 
The Cougars (14-8, 4-3 NJAC) held a 64 percent sideout advantage (33-for-51) over NJCU (11-9, 0-6 NJAC) with identical 62 percentage sideout advantages (10-for-16) in sets one and two.
 
Kean out hit NJCU .300 to .060 overall, as the Cougars posted an attack line of 39-12-90 and limited NJCU to 26 kills (26-21-83). The Cougars had six kills on over balls. The Cougars had an impressive .394 attack rate with 17 kills (17-4-33) in the final set of the night.
 
Kean had 15 players log at least a full set of action. Freshman middle Jesse Larkin (Redwood City, Calif.) hit .571 with 10 kills (10-2-14) to lead all players in three sets while sophomore outside hitter Vikki Stec (Elmwood Park, N.J./Elmwood Park Memorial) had eight kills. Two others had six kills apiece while freshman setter Brianna Calvano (Williamstown, N.J./Williamstown) had 12 assists in two sets. Sophomore setter Alexa Snyder (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) came on to hand out 13 assists in the third set.
 
Sophomore outside hitter Ayleen Pittar (Union City, N.J./Union City) led the team with a near double-double as she had eight kills and 13 digs. Junior setter Rachel McIntyre (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby) contributed a team-high 21 assists.
 
In her final home match, Haxhaj had four kills on 10 attack attempts for a .300 percentage and two assisted blocks while Magee chipped in two block assists.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Behind early kills from Pittar, Haxhaj, Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, N.J./Harrison) and a Kean service error, the Gothic Knights held a narrow lead (4-3) in game one before the Cougars took control of the set, scoring the next four points for a 7-4 lead. NJCU couldn't draw closer than two and the Cougars expanded their advantage with two more four-point streaks, capitalizing on 10 Gothic Knight attack errors in the set.
 
NJCU held an early 7-4 lead in the second set but it would be short-lived as Kean unleashed a 10-0 run to seize a 14-7 margin and won by nine.
 
Kean opened up an 18-9 lead in the third set and looked like it would cruise to victory but NJCU put up a fight, scoring five consecutive points to narrow the deficit to 18-14 and closed within three, 20-17. But a kill and two aces by sophomore Carla Magdangal (Union, N.J./Union) pushed the margin back to six (23-17) and back-to-back kills by the guests sealed it.
 
OF NOTE:

• 41st meeting. Kean leads the all-time series, 34-7. The Cougars have won the last seven meetings (2010-2016).

• NJCU was eliminated from NJAC Tournament contention with the loss.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU begins a nine-match road trip to conclude their season when it participates in the St. Joseph's (LI) Tri-Match on Saturday, October 15. The Gothic Knights will face Baruch College at 12:00 p.m. in a neutral court match before facing the hosts, St. Joseph's (LI), at 2:00 p.m. in Patchogue, N.Y. Baruch (8-18) and NJCU are meeting for the first time since September 23, 2011, and the Bearcats lead the all-time series, 7-2. The host Eagles (4-13) won last year's meeting in Patchogue, 3-0, but NJCU leads the all-time series, 17-12, and has won 11 of the last 17 meetings.