MONTCLAIR, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University women's volleyball team won game two, but Montclair State University led wire-to-wire in the first, third and fourth sets in a 3-1 victory over NJCU, 25-13, 24-26, 25-10, 25-9, on October 25 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference finale at the Panzer Athletic Center.
 
Montclair improved to 21-7 and at 6-2 in the NJAC clinched the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament. The Red Hawks held a 52-28 kills differential over NJCU (13-13, 0-8 NJAC) and hit .288 as a team.
 
Courtney Matlock led the way with 15 kills and a .481 attack percentage for the Red Hawks while Kimberly Matlock handed out 30 assists, seven digs and five of MSU's 12 service aces in three sets.
 
Sophomore Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, N.J./Harrison) played libero in the match and had a match-high 18 digs while senior middle hitter Shege Haxhaj (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) hit .455 with no attack errors and five kills (5-0-11).
 
Sophomore Shaylah Ware (Newark, N.J./Science Park) made her third straight career start in place of junior setter Rachel McIntyre (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby) and Ware collected 24 assists. Sophomore outside Ayleen Pittar (Union City, N.J./Union City) produced eight kills (.154, 8-4-26) and eight digs.
 
Also for Montclair, Hayley Merrill tallied nine kills and hit .421 (9-1-19) in three games while Natalia Majkut hit .571 with five kills (5-1-7) and three blocks. Leah Stine hit .429 with nine kills (9-3-14). Danielle Olcese defended 13 digs and Ashley Griffith finished with 11 assists.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series vs. Montclair State: 33rd meeting. MSU lead the all-time series, 25-8 and has won the last eight meetings.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU heads to New York City to face the City College of New York (7-18) for the second time this season on Thursday, October 27 at 7 p.m. The teams played on October 1 in Jersey City as part of a tri-match with the Gothic Knights prevailing, 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-22). NJCU leads the all-time series, 17-16, and has won the last four meetings.