JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University's women's volleyball team lost the first two sets before winning the third and owned leads of 16-13 and 17-15 in the fourth. But with the Gothic Knights vying to extend the match the distance, Rutgers University-Camden scored the next five points to reclaim the lead and held off NJCU's comeback with a 3-1 decision (25-16, 25-23, 21-25, 25-21) in the New Jersey Athletic Conference opener for both schools on September 13 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center ("Coach Charlie Brown Court").
 
Down two in the fourth, the Scarlet Raptors (5-4, 1-0 NJAC) had four consecutive kills—three by freshman outside hitter Morgan Mulligan (New Gretna, N.J./Pinelands Regional)—followed by a timely ace to gain a 20-17 advantage. NJCU (3-2, 0-1 NJAC) was unable to draw closer than two the remainder of the set.
 
Morgan Mulligan finished with a match-high 15 kills and hit .406 (15-2-32) as the Raptors won their fourth straight match. Sophomore middle hitter Myiah Gatling (Woolwich Township, N.J./Kingsway Regional) also reached double digits with 10 kills (.238, 10-5-21) and three blocks (two solo).  
 
Sophomore  outside hitter Ayleen Pittar (Union City, N.J./Union City) was a kill shy of a double-double for NJCU, finishing with 11 digs, nine kills (.129, 9-5-31) and two aces. Senior middle hitter Elyssa Magee (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) floored seven kills (7-2-22, .227) and had three blocks (two solo).
 
Also for NJCU, senior middle Shege Haxhaj (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) finished with six kills and stuffed five block assists. Junior setter Rachel McIntyre (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby) delivered 27 assists, eight digs, three kills (.333, 3-1-6) and two blocks. Sophomore outside Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, N.J./Harrison) collected seven kills and 10 digs while junior libero Jacqueline Romero (West New York, N.J./Memorial) defended 10 digs. Freshman Stephanie Duque (West New York, N.J./Memorial) had nine digs.
 
Also for RUC, two setters controlled the offense as sophomore Kim Bryfogle (Collingswood, N.J./Paul VI) dished 19 assists and freshman Caitlynn Marcano (Williamstown, N.J./Williamstown) had 17 helpers with two aces. Senior libero Melanie Kaiser (Somerdale, N.J./Sterling) provided 14 digs and four aces. Freshman Erin Thompson (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest) chipped in with 13 digs.
 
Camden never trailed in the first set when it had a 12-6 margin in kills and held NJCU's attack in the negative. A much tighter second set saw RUC with a 12-8 edge in kills but NJCU, trailing late, battled back to even the set at 23-23 before two errors—one serving, one on attack—handed the Raptors the win.
 
Down 16-14, the Knights took control of the third set with a four-point swing and pulled ahead 22-18 on kills by Magee and Pittar. Another kill by Pittar and a combo block by Pittar and Haxhaj gave NJCU set point before it forced the fourth game.  
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: NJCU leads, 15-8. Camden has won the last eight meetings.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU is home again on Thursday, September 15 at 7 p.m. when it hosts the College of Saint Elizabeth in a non-conference tilt. NJCU leads the all-time series, 25-11, but the Eagles have won the last five meetings, including last year's neutral court meeting, 3-0 (27-25, 25-16, 25-23) on September 12, 2015 in Brooklyn, N.Y.