DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In the final road match of the 2018 season, the  New Jersey City University women's volleyball (9-15) needed the minimum three sets to defeat Delaware Valley University (4-15) by a score of 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-21) in non-conference action on October 18. The Gothic Knights spoiled senior night for the Rams, who had six seniors on the roster.
 
NJCU was led by strong performances by senior outside hitter Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, NJ/Harrison) with a spectacular .417 attack percentage and 11 kills (11-1-24, adding seven digs and four aces. Senior setter Shaylah Ware (Newark, NJ/Science Park) dished 26 assists, six digs and two aces; and junior outside hitter Stephanie Duque (West New York, NJ/Memorial) finished with 14 digs and seven kills (7-3-21). NJCU had a 33-18 margin in kills in the win.
 
The Knights got stronger as the night went along, improving their hitting percentage in each of the three sets, with a third set attack percentage of .300 (12-3-30). The Knights led in most statistical categories, with 15 more kills than DVU, 15 more assists, 10 more digs, and two more blocks. The only category in which the Rams topped the Knights was aces, where DVU led 12-7.
 
The first set was a back-and-forth battle, setting the tone for what would be three close sets on the evening. The Knights trailed 18-14 before rattling off eight out of the next nine points, including six in a row to retake the lead. O'Donnell landed three aces during a 6-0 stretch where NJCU went from 19-16 down to ahead 22-19. A Shaylah Ware (Newark, NJ/Science Park) kill closed out the set.
 
In the second set, it was one long spell that doomed the Rams and vaulted the Knights to a 2-0 lead. After an NJCU error tied up the game at 10-10, the Knights proceeded to rattle off 10 straight points, with a pair of kills from Ware and one each from Duque and senior middle hitter Naiomi Cintron (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) leading the charge. The Aggies committed six errors during the stretch, including four in a row.
 
In the third set, the Knights had to dig themselves out of an early hole, as DVU took a 12-6 lead before NJCU stormed back to even things up. Then, with the Rams still leading 20-19, NJCU put their foot on the gas, taking six of the final seven points to finish off the match, 3-0. The late run was spurred by a trio of Duque kills, including back-to-back attacks to seal the match
 
Senior Danielle McKelvey (Ridgway, Colo.) had 11 kills for the Aggies. Junior opposite Alexis Sideris (Hazlet, N.J.) finished with five of DelVal's 12 aces. Freshman setter Taylor Purner (Dover, Del.) finished with 16 assists and nine digs. No Aggie had more than six kills.
 
QUOTABLE KNIGHTS:
NJCU head women's volleyball coach, Robert Cole on the win: "I'm so proud of our seniors. They all stepped up. Tough environment on their opposition's senior night, but they kept the team together and even put them on their backs at times. Good team win."
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: Seventh meeting. Delaware Valley leads the series, 4-3, but NJCU has taken the last three meetings.
• Ware has now reached double-digit assists in all 23 of the matches she has appeared in for the 2018 season.
• Ware upped her career assists mark to 948, good for seventh in school history in only 233 sets. She need 13 more to pass Joanna Miedzwiedz (429 sets, 2002-05) for sixth place and 52 more to become the sixth Gothic Knight with 1,000 career assists.
• O'Donnell reached double figures in kills for the 16th time in her career and seventh time this season.
• O'Donnell exceeded 900 digs for her career. Now with 904, she is 11th in school history and passed three-time First-Team All-NJAC standout and future Hall-of-Fame candidate Jacqueline LeBlanc (901 digs, 2005-08) on NJCU's career list.
• Duque reached double figures in digs for the eighth time this season and 13th time in her career.

 
UP NEXT:
NJCU plays host to the #NJCUWVB Tri-Match on Saturday, October 20 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. The action begins at 11:00 a.m. with the Knights facing off with Sarah Lawrence College (6-11). The Knights then play Brooklyn College (14-7) at 3:00 p.m., with the other two schools facing off in a neutral match at approximately 1 p.m.
 
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