JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University overcame three set points to win game one and despite a 26-kill individual effort by Clark Summit University junior Callie Kitowski (White Lake, Mich.), prevailed in four sets, 3-1 (26-24, 19-25, 25-19, 25-17) in a non-conference match on October 6 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court).
 
The Gothic Knights used eight blocks to overcome inconsistent passing and serving as NJCU won its fourth consecutive match to improve to 10-6 overall. It's NJCU's longest winning streak since being victorious in seven straight from September 16-30, 2008.
 
Summit (5-13) matched NJCU's kill output (39-39) with two-third of its offense coming from Kitowski, who had nine kills in each of the first two sets and finished with 26 winners in 55 attempts (12 errors, .255) and 16 digs for a double-double, adding three blocks (two solo).
 
Overall, Summit had 13 of its 39 kills on free balls over the net. NJCU committed 14 service errors in the match but it ultimately proved not to factor into the result.
 
Senior middle hitter Elyssa Magee (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) put away eight kills with four blocks and two aces in four sets while sophomore outside hitter Ayleen Pittar (Union City, N.J./Union City), after sitting out the first set, had eight kills (.190, 8-4-21), nine digs, two aces and was 13-for-13 in serve reception.  Junior setter Rachel McIntyre (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby) delivered 34 assists as she continued to climb NJCU's all-time assists list.
 
Senior middle hitter Shege Haxhaj (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) added six kills (.267, 6-2-15) and three blocks in three sets. Sophomore outside Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, N.J./Harrison) chipped in nine digs, six kills and three blocks
 
Other contributors for the visiting Defenders included setter Alexa Wagner (Elks Rapids, Mich.) with 18 assists and two aces. No other player had more than four kills.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
NJCU trailed the entire first set and led 24-21 with three set points. But NJCU stormed back, scoring the final five points. A service and attack error by the Defenders, followed by an O'Donnell kill tied it. After a bad set gave NJCU a 25-24 lead, a combo block by sophomore middle hitter Nadia Montgomery (Jersey City, N.J./Hudson Catholic) and sophomore right side Naiomi Cintron (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) sealed the 26-24 win.
 

The second set was a game of runs. NJCU trailed 19-14 but rallied to pull with two, 19-17, after a 7-0 spurt, fueled by two blocks and a kill from Magee. But the Defenders scored the next four points—two off kills by Kitowski—and pulled away for a 25-19 win.
 
Tied at a set apiece, NJCU had 12 and 11 kills, respectively in the final two sets and held the Defenders to negative hitting in each game—nine errors in each game and -.115 in the third set with -.062 hitting in the fourth. Meanwhile, NJCU sided out at 69 and 64 percent. The Knights pulled out to leads of 9-4 and 15-9 in the third set before cruising to the 2-1 match lead. Up 10-8 in the fourth set, NJCU reeled off four straight—two kills by Pittar, one by Haxhaj and a Magee ace for a 14-8 lead and never looked back.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series vs Clarks Summit: First meeting. Clarks Summit was previously known as Baptist Bible College.
• The 26 kills were the most by an opponent since Dalliana Toussaint had 29 for CCNY in five sets on October 22, 2011. It was the most by an opponent in four sets or less in the 25-point rally scoring era.
• Rachel McIntyre upped her career assists to 1715. She needs 16 more to pass Leydi Zuluaga (2001-02, 1730 assists) for fourth in school history.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU is idle until Monday, October 10 when it plays in a non-conference Columbus Day tri-match in Brooklyn, NY against New Rochelle (5 p.m.) and host Pratt Institute (7 p.m.). Pratt will be hosting its annual pink fundraiser that day to support the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. NJCU defeated Pratt, 3-0, in the first-ever meeting between the schools last year. NJCU and New Rochelle will be meeting for the first time.