GLASSBORO, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University had two chances to win a set, including a sizeable lead in game one, but ultimately Rowan University rallied twice to prevail past the Gothic Knights, 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-17) in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match on October 16 at Esby Gymnasium.
 
Rowan (16-13, 5-2 NJAC) clinched no worse than the No. 3 seed in the upcoming NJAC Tournament while dropping the Knights to 8-15 (0-7 NJAC).
 
NJCU senior setter Shaylah Ware (Newark, NJ/Science Park) dished 22 assists with six digs and three aces and senior libero Georgina Rayo (Jersey City, NJ/McNair Academic) finished with 11 digs. Junior outside hitter Stephanie Duque (West New York, NJ/Memorial), junior opposite Pamela Florimon (Teaneck, NJ/Memorial) and freshman outside Yaidettive Vega (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) each finished with six kills for NJCU. Senior outside Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, NJ/Harrison) defended nine digs.
 
Rowan was led by 6-foot-2 senior middle hitter Jamie Shirtz (Mendham, N.J.) who hit .643 with nine kills and no errors (14 attempts) and two blocks. Junior outside Megan Jacobi (Nazareth, Pa.) matched her with nine kills, hitting .333 (9-3-18). Senior defensive specialist Kristin Akin (Kinnelon, N.J.) finished with 12 digs. Sophomore setter Tori Mock (Chadds Ford, Pa.) chipped in 15 assists.
 
Rowan's advantage in kills was modest (32-25), but the Profs committed half as many attack errors as NJCU and hit .207 (32-13-92) while the Knights committed 26 errors (-.009).
 
NJCU vaulted out to a huge lead in game one, jumping in front 19-9, behind the serving of Ware, who landed a pair of aces. Seven straight points allowed Rowan to get back in it (20-17) but NJCU still clung to a 22-18 lead—three points away from a 1-0 match advantage. But Rowan responded, scoring the next five points to claim a 23-22 lead and finished the set on a 7-1 run, prevailing 25-23. Junior opposite Kailey Gallagher (Bayonne, N.J.) had a pair of key late kills and senior Erin Keegan (Fairfield, N.J.) had a kill on set point.
 
In game two, Rowan led wire-to-wire, surging out to a 21-8 lead and took the set, 25-15. The third set however, was competitive and featured seven ties. But tied 15-15, Rowan scored the next four points, and after a kill by O'Donnell trimmed the deficit to 20-17, the Profs scored the final five points to seize the win.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: 34th meeting. Rowan leads series, 31-3, and has won the last 12 meetings.
• Rayo reached double-digit digs for the 13th time in 2018 and 28th time in her three-year career. She moved into 20th place in school history with 679 digs.

 
UP NEXT:
NJCU plays its final road match of the season on Thursday, October 18 (7 p.m.) when it visits Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pa. It will be the seventh meeting in a series DelVal leads, 4-2.
 
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