JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University had to knock off Montclair State University in its final New Jersey Athletic Conference match of the season to keep its postseason hopes alive but the Red Hawks spoiled those plans with a 3-0 (25-7, 25-18, 25-23) victory over the Gothic Knights on October 24 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court).
 
The loss for NJCU (12-14, 1-7 NJAC) eliminates the Gothic Knights from contention for the Eastern College Athletic Conference Tournament after qualifying last year. Montclair State (13-16, 4-4 NJAC) clinched the No. 4 seed in next week's NJAC Tournament with the victory.
 
Prior to the match, NJCU honored its lone senior, setter and captain Rachel McIntyre (Drexel Hill, PA/Upper Darby), a four-year starter at the position and multiple-time Academic All-NJAC standout, who will graduate No. 3 all-time in assists and No. 8 in aces in the 35-year history of the program.
 
Montclair hit .386 for the match with 36 kills (36-9-70) and landed a dozen aces. NJCU's attack percentage improved throughout the match and the Knights finished with 27 kills at a .221 rate (27-12-68)—its third highest hitting percentage of the season and its best in a loss.
 
Freshman outside Siyara Herbert (Maplewood, N.J.) led Montclair with a match-high 11 kills, hitting .318 (11-4-22) with three aces. Sophomore middle blocker Caitlin Lange (Shamong, N.J.) had seven kills in eight attempts (one error) to hit .750 overall and freshman setter Megan O'Rourke (Cherry Hill, N.J.) dished 28 assists with four aces.
 
Three players combined for 20 of NJCU's 27 kills. Sophomore right side Pamela Florimon (Teaneck, NJ/Memorial) hit .333 with six kills (6-2-12), sophomore outside Stephanie Duque (West New York, NJ/Memorial) added a .286 percentage and seven kills (7-3-14) and junior outside Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, NJ/Harrison) chipped in seven kills and five digs.
 
McIntyre had 12 assists and four digs in her final home match and junior setter Shaylah Ware (Newark, NJ/Science Park) added 10 assists.
 
The Red Hawks also received six kills and a .400 percentage with two aces from freshman middle blocker Ta'Mya Allen (South Orange, N.J.). Junior right side Natalia Majkut (Cherry Hill, N.J.) added five kills at .400 (5-1-10) and two blocks. Sophomore middle blocker Jillian Wilson (Voorhees, N.J.) had four kills in seven swings (.571).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
In the first set, Montclair jumped out to a 6-0 lead behind the serving of senior libero Lily Scanzillo (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) who landed two aces and Herbert, who landed three aces in a span of four serves with another tough serve that led to a free ball kill before MSU claimed a 15-3 lead. MSU cruised from there, serving six aces in the opening set. MSU hit a colossal .529 in the set without an attack error (9-0-17) while limiting the Knights to five kills.
 
The second set was more offensive for both teams. Montclair hit .423 and racked up 15 kills (15-4-26). NJCU upped its kills total to 10 and hit .280 in the game (10-3-25), but couldn't draw closer than four points late in the set.
 
In the third set, NJCU was red hot at the net with 12 kills and a .455 attack percentage (12-2-22). But MSU also had 12 kills and led 14-9. NJCU rallied to within 15-14. Kills by O'Donnell and junior opposite Naiomi Cintron (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) and an ace by junior middle Nadia Montgomery (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic) contributed to the comeback. After another timeout, a kill by Florimon cut it to 17-16, and a kill by Duque tied it at 18-18. After a diving save to keep a long rally alive, a combo block by Cintron and Montgomery gave NJCU a 19-18 lead. After falling behind again, O'Donnell tied it (21-21) with a kill, but a double block by Lange and Majkut put MSU in front by two (23-21). NJCU rallied again, tying it on a tip kill by Cintron at 23-23. But after an MSU timeout, service error by NJCU and a kill by Lange won it for the visitors.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: 34th meeting. Montclair State leads, 26-8, and has won the last nine meetings (2009-17)

 
UP NEXT:

• NJCU plays its final match of the season on Thursday, October 26 (7 p.m.) when it visits St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) for a non-conference tilt in Brooklyn, N.Y. It will be the first meeting since October 1, 2012—a 3-1 win for NJCU in Jersey City, N.J.—and leads the all-time series, 4-0.   

 
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