RIVERDALE N.Y. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In the first meeting between the schools in women's volleyball in 27 years, Mount Saint Vincent committed 11 fewer attack errors and swept a non-conference match from New Jersey City University, 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-18) on September 29 at the Peter Jay Sharp Center.
 
Following a three-game winning streak, NJCU has lost four in a row to fall to .500 at 6-6. Mount is 6-9. The Dolphins hit .204 as a team with 35 kills and 13 attack errors (108 attempts) while NJCU hit just .087 (34-24-115).
 
The Gothic Knights lost despite a great individual effort from sophomore outside hitter Ayleen Pittar (Union City, N.J./Union City) who planted 15 kills, hitting .211 (15-7-38) with nine digs.
 
Sophomore outside Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, N.J./Harrison) defended 16 digs while adding seven kills and sophomore libero Shaylah Ware (Newark, N.J./Science Park) dished 15 digs. Junior setter Rachel McIntyre (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby) finished with 28 assists and two aces.  Senior middle hitter Shege Haxhaj (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) tallied five kills to move into the Top 10 in school history.
 
Tara Maloney was the match's top performer for the Dolphins, slamming 19 kills with just one error (39 attempts) to hit .462. She added eight digs and was 15-for-15 on serve reception.
 
Nicole Henderson had 27 assists and four kills (.333, 4-1-9). Patsy Sewell added 13 digs, eight kills and four aces while Chrissy Sewell had 14 digs.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Mount had a 73 percent sideout percentage in game one and tied 14-14, scored four consecutive points to take control of the set as NJCU committed three attack errors. The hosts won the game by seven.
 
NJCU hit -.023 in game two but still found itself in contention, down one (16-15) before an NJCU attack error and three straight kills by Maloney pushed the lead to 20-15. NJCU clawed within one, 22-21, before another Maloney kill and two attack errors gave Mount the four-point win.
 
Mount never trailed in the third set and scored seven consecutive points in the middle of the game, aided by four consecutive NJCU attack miscues, to build a 14-6 advantage before sweeping the outing.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: Mount leads the all-time series, 5-1.
• First meeting since October 14, 1989. Only the second meeting in Riverdale; the previous was October 1, 1987.

• Ayleen Pittar reached double figures in kills for the sixth time this year and in her career.
• Shege Haxhaj (635 kills) passed Glorinell Perez (2004-07, 633 kills) to crack the Top 10 in kills in school history.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU hosts another non-conference tri-match on Saturday, October 1 beginning at 10 a.m. NJCU hosts Centenary College (1-13, Lost 6) in the early match and the City College of New York (5-6, Won 1) at 2 p.m. The two opponents will play a neutral court match at noon. NJCU is 21-6 all-time against Centenary and has won the last 15 meetings since September 19, 1998. NJCU and CCNY are even all-time, 16-16, although the Knights have won the last three meetings.