NEWARK, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Rutgers-Newark limited the New Jersey City University women's volleyball team to a -.077 attack percentage with 21 errors and the Scarlet Raiders never trailed in the first or third sets as Rutgers-Newark swept NJCU, 3-0 (25-7, 25-21, 25-10) in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match on September 20 at The Golden Dome.
 
Rutgers-Newark (5-2, 1-1 NJAC) only had 29 kills as a team but was efficient, hitting .316 in the first set (8-2-19) and .333 in the third (11-4-21) while serving at a 65 percent sideout rate for the night. NJCU had its three-match winning streak snapped, falling to 6-3 (0-2 NJAC).
 
NJCU had 10 kills in the second set but only three in game one when it committed 10 attack errors and hit -.318 with a mere 20 percent sideout rate. The Knights had two kills and five errors in game three, hitting -.158 and serving at a 28 percent sideout clip.
 
Karolina Kopacz hit .471 with nine kills and one error (9-1-17) to lead the host Raiders, adding 13 assists and five digs. Cassie Luken added 11 digs, six kills and three aces and Tabitha Davis added seven kills, hitting .400 (7-1-15). Christina Ko and Morgan Schweitzer combined to contribute seven service aces.
 
Senior middle hitter Shege Haxhaj (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) was NJCU's top performer with four kills and three blocks. Sophomore right side Naiomi Cintron (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) finished with four blocks. Sophomore outside Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, N.J./Harrison) defended a match-high equaling 11 digs.
 
Junior setter Rachel McIntyre (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby) had 12 assists and seven digs. She exceeded 1,500 career assists in the loss.
 
Newark surged out to an 11-1 lead in game one, primarily behind the serving of Jess Moy and held advantages of 16-2 and 24-4 before holding NJCU to just seven points in the opening game. NJCU led the second set, 16-15, before a 6-0 run gave the Raiders a 21-16 margin in a game they won by four. Schweitzer's serving allowed Newark to vault ahead 12-1 in the final set. The Raiders led 21-4 before NJCU scored six late points trying to rally.
 
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Head Coach Robert Cole on the loss: "I was extremely disappointed in our lack of heart and fight tonight. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow to prepare for our next conference match on Thursday."
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: Rutgers-Newark leads, 37-10.
• Rachel McIntyre increased her career assists total to 1,509.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU is home on Thursday, September 22 at 7 p.m. when it faces a tough Ramapo College squad in an NJAC match at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center ("Coach Charlie Brown Court"). The Roadrunners (11-3, 1-0 NJAC) lead the all-time series, 26-18, and have won the last nine meetings.