UNION, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | First-place Kean University had a 38-15 margin in kills and defeated the New  Jersey City University women's volleyball team, 3-0 (25-18, 25-11, 25-17) in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match on October 5 at Harwood Arena.
 
Kean (17-5) improved to 6-0 in the NJAC to take a commanding lead in the conference standings while holding the Gothic Knights (9-9, 1-4 NJAC) to a -.039 attack percentage (15-18-77) and a 35 percent sideout rate.
 
Kean junior outside hitter Vikki Stec (Elmwood Park, N.J.) paced the Cougars with 10 kills at a .444 percentage (10-2-18) and sophomore middle hitter Jesse Larkin (Redwood City, Calif.) hit .600 with nine kills (9-0-15).
 
Sophomore setter Brianna Calvano (Williamstown, N.J.) had match highs of 21 assists and eight digs. Senior setter Kendall Sonico (Los Angeles, Calif.) added 10 assists while senior outside Joelle Tondi (Wood-Ridge, N.J.) finished with seven digs and three aces.
 
NJCU junior outside Ayleen Pittar (Union City, NJ/Union City) had seven digs and five kills and junior outside Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, NJ/Harrison) tallied eight digs in a losing effort. Junior setter Shaylah Ware (Newark, NJ/Science Park) had five assists and four service aces.
 
Kean jumped out to a 13-3 lead in game one and held a 23-9 advantage before NJCU uncorked a 9-1 run, primarily with Ware behind the service line to claw within 24-18. Ultimately, that spurt wasn't enough as Kean won the set and seized a 12-3 lead in game two before winning 25-11. In game three, Kean broke a 12-12 deadlock with a 7-1 streak, aided by four Knight errors.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: 42nd meeting. Kean leads, 35-7, and has won the last eight meetings since 2010

 
UP NEXT:

• NJCU plays for the fourth time in five days when it hosts Lehman College (2-14, 1-6 away, lost four) on Friday, October 6 at 6 p.m. at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court). It will be the 32nd meeting in a series NJCU leads, 21-10, including last year when the Knights won, 3-0 (25-11, 25-12, 25-7), on September 17, 2016 in Jersey City.

 
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