BRONXVILLE, N.Y. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Freshman right side/middle hitter Julian Moreira (Miami, Fla./Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Biscayne Bay Campus) posted a pair of double figure kill efforts with high attack percentages and the New Jersey City University men's volleyball team combined for 27 service aces in two matches as NJCU swept the College of Staten Island and Sarah Lawrence College in a pair of non-conference matches on February 25.
 
NJCU (5-8) extended its winning streak to three as it beat Staten Island (2-5) for the second time in less than 10 days, 3-0 (25-14, 25-13, 25-18) before making quick work of Sarah Lawrence, 3-0 (25-15, 25-5, 25-12). Both matches took less than an hour to complete.
 
Moreira had 13 kills in the two matches and hit a combined .350 on the day and freshman setter Jimmy Vega (Harrison, N.J./Harrison) delivered 57 assists in the two matches.
 
MATCH 1: NJCU 3, Staten Island 0 (25-14, 25-13, 25-18)
NJCU had a 34-10 margin in kills and forced Staten Island into a negative attack percentage with 17 errors in a win that took just 57 minutes. CSI hit -.109. NJCU, which also won at Staten Island on February 16, served 14 aces in the second installment this year of the 'Bayonne Bridge Series.'
 
Moreira hit .333 with 12 kills (12-5-21), six digs and two aces while freshman outside hitters J.J. Berdecia (West New York, N.J./Memorial) fired off seven aces to go with six kills. Sophomore libero David Penaherrera (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) delivered 14 digs.
 
Vega owned a .492 setting percentage with 29 assists in 59 attempts and had three kills in five swings (.600) with five digs and two aces. Freshman middle hitter/right side Jonathan Andrews (Palisades Park, N.J./North Bergen) had two solo blocks and hit .333 (4-1-9).
 
NJCU had more kills in each game than CSI compiled in the entire match. The Gothic Knights had 12 kills in game one and hit .333 (12-5-21). NJCU had 11 kills in both the second and third games.
 
Up one early in game one, NJCU scored the next six points to seize a 12-5 lead. The Knights scored five of the final six points, including a pair of aces by Berdecia. Leading 8-6 in game two, the Knights scored the next six points and built an 11-1 run to claim a 19-7 margin. Berdecia had three aces in four serves during the tear. In game three, Berdecia had three kills during a 5-0 run that gave NJCU an early lead. The run expanded to 9-1 and CSI never got closer than four points the rest of the set.
 

MATCH 2: NJCU 3, Sarah Lawrence 3-0 (25-15, 25-5, 25-12)
The Knights had a 31-9 differential in kills, forced 15 Sarah Lawrence attack errors and limited the Gryphons to a -.109 attack percentage in another sweep that took just 50 minutes to complete. NJCU served 13 aces. Game two was one of the lowest scoring outputs by an opponent in program history.
 
Moreira had 11 kills and hit .368 (11-4-19). Freshman outside hitter Edgar Crespo (Newark, N.J./Science Park) uncorked six aces, adding eight digs and five kills (.273, 5-2-11). Andrews hit at a .636 clip with seven kills and no errors (11 attempts) while producing three aces.
 
Also for NJCU, Vega tallied 28 assists in 59 attempts for a .475 percentage, adding two aces. Penaherrera defended nine digs.
 
NJCU had double figures in kills in all three sets, posting 10, 10 and 11, respectively, including a colossal .471 percentage in game two (10-2-17). It had an 81 percent sideout percentage in the match (27-33), including a perfect 6-for-6 in game two. The Gryphons (0-6) only had two kills in the both the second and third sets.
 
NJCU led 5-0 in game one and 9-1 before cruising to the 10-point win. Game two was an early rout. Tied 1-1, NJCU scored 12 consecutive points to build a 13-1 lead, including six kills. Three consecutive aces by Andrews expanded the lead to 18-2. He had back-to-back kills to seal the set.
 
Tied at 7-7 in game three, NJCU chalked up the next seven points for a 14-7 lead and the Knights had four straight kills during the outburst, including three winners in a row by Crespo. NJCU scored six of the final seven points to complete the sweep.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series vs. Staten Island ('Bayonne Bridge Series'): NJCU leads, 4-0 (four sweeps).
• Series vs. Sarah Lawrence: NJCU leads, 5-0 (five sweeps).
• While Sarah Lawrence is also a Skyline Conference opponent, this was a non-conference match.
• Julian Moreira reached double figures in kills for the seventh time in 13 matches.
• David Penaherrera notched his 13th career effort of double digit digs (fifth of season).
• NJCU held Sarah Lawrence to five points in game two. The lowest scoring non-forfeited sets, rally scoring error (2001-10, 30-point system; 2011-present, 25-point system):
  • 25-3 (NJCU vs. Brooklyn, Jan. 31, 2015)
  • 25-4 (Yeshiva University at NJCU, Feb. 19, 2015)
  • 30-4 (Yeshiva University at NJCU, Feb. 1, 2001)
  • 25-5 (NJCU at Sarah Lawrence, Feb. 25, 2017)
  • 25-5 (NJCU at Medgar Evers, March 2, 2015)
  • 30-5 (Yeshiva University at NJCU, Feb. 27, 2003)
  • 25-6 (Pratt Institute at NJCU, April 7, 2016)
  • 25-6 (Yeshiva University at NJCU, Jan. 31, 2016)
  • 25-6 (Gallaudet University at NJCU, Feb. 23, 2013)
  • 30-6 (Baptist Bible College vs. NJCU, April 1, 2004)

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU completes its eight-match road trip on Tuesday, February 28 (7 p.m.) at Rutgers-Newark at The Golden Dome. Rutgers-Newark leads the all-time series, 4-0 (2-0 as a Division III program). The Scarlet Raiders are 4-11 (2-6 home) but six losses are against nationally-ranked teams.