JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Behind the play of its senior class and an unexpected assist from the cheer squad the New Jersey City University women's volleyball team celebrated its 2018 Senior Night with a 3-0 sweep of SUNY Old Westbury, 25-19, 26-24, 25-22, on October 24 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court).
 
Senior Night Facebook Live Post-Game Interview: https://www.facebook.com/NJCUGothicKnights/videos/244183903118861/
 
NJCU finished the 2018 season with an 11-17 ledger, sending Old Westbury (5-15) to the non-conference defeat. Senior outside hitter Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, NJ/Harrison), the New Jersey Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, put an exclamation mark on her career with her seventh double-double of the season, finishing with 17 digs, 13 kills, two aces, two blocks and a .286 attack percentage. Junior outside Stephanie Duque (West New York, NJ/Memorial) pounded 15 kills, hit .219, and added six digs and three service aces. NJCU landed 12 aces as a team.
 
Prior to the match, NJCU honored its four-woman senior class: O'Donnell, opposite/middle blocker Naiomi Cintron (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne), libero Georgina Rayo (Jersey City, NJ/McNair Academic) and setter Shaylah Ware (Newark, NJ/Science Park).
 
After winning the first set by six points, leading wire-to-wire, NJCU found itself in a deep hole in game two, and trailed 21-15 and 22-17 with no margin for error. Enter the new NJCU Cheer team, which relaunched this fall and will make its official debut during basketball season. The Cheer team made a surprise entrance late in the second set and helped swing the momentum in the JMAC. NJCU unleashed a 6-0 run with four different players landing kills as NJCU gained a 23-22 lead. After OW tied it, a tip kill by Ware put NJCU back in front 24-23 before OW junior middle Joelle Desrosiers (Bayside, N.Y.) evened it with another kill, 24-24. After NJCU once again pulled in front by one, Duque slammed a kill to seal the 26-24 win.
 
There were 10 ties and four lead changes in game three and the Knights once again found themselves down 22-21. But the Knights were not going to allow their senior night to be extended, scoring the final four points to rally for the 25-22 win. O'Donnell smashed a kill, Cintron landed an ace, Ware tipped a ball to the court for match point (24-22) and the 623rd kill of O'Donnell's college career sealed the win.
 
NJCU had a 42-24 differential in kills and other than blocks, controlled the match in every other statistical category. Ware, who entered the day ranked No. 3 in Division III in service aces, finished with 30 assists and three aces. Rayo defended 12 digs and Cintron had five kills and three aces.
 
NJCU had 17 kills in the opening set, 15 in game two and 10 more in the third set when it had a 69 percent sideout rate (16-23).
 
Desrosiers was OW's top player, hitting .391 with 10 kills and one error (23 attempts). She added nine digs, three aces and two solo blocks. Junior setter Kyraleigh Zinnell (Levittown, N.Y.) added 19 assists. Junior middle Danielle Corsi (Seaford, N.Y.) finished with 11 digs.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: 16th meeting. NJCU leads all-time series, 13-3.
• The match concluded the 36th season of NJCU women's volleyball (461-582, 1043 matches).
• O'Donnell reached double figures in kills for the 19th time in her career and 10th time this season. She finished her career with 11 double doubles.
• Rayo reached double-digit digs for the 17th time in 2018 and 32nd time in her three-year career.
• Duque reached double figures in kills for the 12th time in her career and ninth time this year.

 
UP NEXT:
The 2019 women's volleyball schedule will be announced next spring.
 
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