NEW YORK, N.Y. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | After five sets and 221 points, a victor was finally settled upon in a non-conference matchup between New Jersey City University (6-11) and Baruch College (5-13) on October 4 at the ARC Arena in New York. The Gothic Knights prevailed 3-2 (19-25, 25-22, 25-21, 17-25, 22-20), highlighted by a final set that set a school record for the longest ever fifth set.
 
The 22-20 outcome matches a mark set on September 29, 2006 when NJCU visited Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. by the same 22-20 result. NJCU was on the short side of that result (30-28, 30-27, 26-30, 15-30, 20-22), scoring 20 points.
 
The Knights were led by junior opposite Pamela Florimon (Teaneck, NJ/Memorial), whose 19 kills finished one shy of her career-high (which came earlier this season against Alvernia). The team also got a strong defensive effort from several contributors, as senior libero Georgina Rayo (Jersey City, NJ/McNair Academic) (26), freshman outside hitter Karina Rosado (Linden, NJ/Linden) (18), and senior outside hitter Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, NJ/Harrison) (17) all finished with double-digit dig figures. As a team, they had 80 digs. Senior setter Shaylah Ware (Newark, NJ/Science Park) also tacked on another five aces to her impressive season total and delivered 40 assists
 
Florimon hit .250 and junior outside hitter Stephanie Duque (West New York, NJ/Memorial) (13 kills, .219) combined for 32 of NJCU's 46 total kills.
 
The first game saw the Knight tally more errors than kills, as they fell behind early (4-0) and later slipped up in the middle of the set, a recipe for a loss. However, NJCU bounced back well in the second set, taking 10 of the final 15 points to square the match up at 1-1. The Knights were led by a triumvirate of kills from Duque during that second-set stretch.
 
NJCU kept the good vibes going into the third, as yet another late run (this time five consecutive points beginning when they were down 19-18) handed it control of the match with a 2-1 lead on the scoreboard. However, the match was destined for five, as the Bearcats won the fourth set, the most one-sided set of the match (25-17).
 
The two teams were only just getting started however, as the fifth set would require that extra gear, and then some. The Bearcats got out to a quick 6-2 lead, and they looked to have control of the game as late as 11-6, but the Knights kept clawing and grinding to stay in the match, eventually tying things up at 12-12 and fending off six different match point opportunities for Baruch.
 
Eventually, NJCU rattled off three straight kills (Florimon-O'Donnell-Florimon) to go from down 20-19 to match winners, 22-20.

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Head coach Robert Cole said of the match, "We had some young kids step up and take advantage of opportunities that were given, and at the end of it we had some vets who just wanted it more and refused to lose. Good effort, we have a lot of work to do though."
 
OF NOTE:

• 12th meeting. Baruch leads 8-4, but NJCU has taken the past two meetings.
• This was NJCU's second five-match win of the season, improving its record to 2-4 in such matches in 2018.
• Duque reached double figures in kills for the ninth time in her career and sixth time this year.
• O'Donnell reached double figures in digs for the 39th time in her career.
• O'Donnell increased her career digs total to 838, 15th in school history. She needs 162 more to become the 10th Gothic Knight with 1,000 career digs.
• Ware moved into 13th place in school history with 149 career aces.
• Rayo had 10 or more digs for the 26th time in her career, 11th time this season and the fifth match in a row.
• Rosado played easily the most of any match this season, setting career-highs in digs (18), aces (3), and kills (3).

 
UP NEXT:
NJCU plays another non-conference road tri-match, heading to Wilkes-Barre, Pa. for the Wilkes tri-match. The Knights will face the hosts, Wilkes University (13-8) on Saturday, October 6 at noon, before facing off with Penn State Altoona (3-12) at 2:00 p.m.
 
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