Box Score 1 | Box Score 3 JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Marathons bookended a non-conference tri-match for the New Jersey City University women's volleyball team. NJCU lost a marathon opening set to Wilkes University before falling in three sets, 3-0 (32-30, 25-17, 25-16) and went the distance against Baruch College, before again coming out on the wrong end of the decision in five sets, 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 25-6, 24-26, 15-11). The tri-match was hosted by NJCU at its John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court) on October 19.
 
With the two losses NJCU fell to 6-14 overall. Baruch, the undefeated leaders in the CUNYAC conference (5-0), also defeated Wilkes (12-12) in the middle match, 3-0 (26-24, 25-20, 25-19), to win both matches and improve to 15-5 overall.
 
Rookie libero Bella Sunahara (Parker, CO/Legend) had an outstanding defensive effort with 48 digs in eight sets over the two matches. Freshman setter Katrina Nguyendon (Union, NJ/Union) produced a pair of double-doubles—her seventh and eighth of the season. Freshman outside hitter Xarial Chandler (East Orange, NJ/University) had a combined 22 kills and 22 digs on the day.
 
MATCH 1: Wilkes 3, New Jersey City 0 (32-30, 25-17, 25-16)
NJCU and Wilkes played a marathon opening set that needed 12 extra points to decide but from there the Colonels cruised in sets two and three. Wilkes had a 44-30 advantage in kills and hit .215 overall.
 
Wilkes was led by senior opposite Jamey Mikovich (Nesquehoning, Pa.) who had a monster effort with 22 kills—half of her team's total—in 48 attempts (six errors) to hit .333. She added 11 digs for a double-double. Senior defensive specialist Julie Murphy (Mountain Top, Pa.) had 18 digs and sophomore setter Karlye Huffman (Sugar Run, Pa.) contributed 31 assists and seven digs. Freshman middle Emily Lass (Cherry Hill, N.J.) hit .429 with six kills (6-0-14). and sophomore outside Laura Booths (Lake Ariel, Pa.) added seven kills (7-2-21, .238).
 
In defeat, Sunahara passed 22 digs, Nguyendon had 24 assists and 13 digs and Chandler provided 10 digs and nine digs. Sophomore outside Lola Vega notched eight kills. Senior outside Stephanie Duque (West New York, NJ/Memorial) defended nine digs. Sophomore middle Leah Seickendick (Hoboken, NJ/Hudson Catholic) had six kills and four blocks.
 
In the see-saw opening set that saw 15 ties and 15 lead changes, NJCU had a chance to win when it scored four straight to snap a 19-19 deadlock and led 23-19, with a kill from Chandler and two from Vega—three of the team's 17 in the set. NJCU had four set points ahead 24-20 but Wilkes mounted a rally to even it at 24-24. From there, NJCU had five additional set points but could not close it out and the Colonels eventually prevailed on their 20th kill of the set, a winner from Mikovich.
 
Wilkes mustered 12 kills in each of the second and third sets and forced NJCU into a combined 16 attack errors in those games. Wilkes ran off an 11-3 streak in set two to pull away. Leading 16-14 in the third set, Wilkes used a 6-0 spurt to pull away.
 
MATCH 2: Baruch 3, New Jersey City 2 (25-21, 22-25, 25-6, 24-26, 15-11)
Both schools had hitting woes, combining for 55 attack errors in the match.  Baruch uncorked 17 service aces to separate itself.
 
In defeat, five Gothic Knights had double digits in digs, led by Sunahara with a match-best 25. Nguyendon delivered 32 assists and 16 digs, Chandler overcame 13 attack errors by finishing with 13 digs and 12 kills and both Duque and sophomore Madeline Lopez (Elizabeth, NJ/Hudson Catholic) each had 10 digs. For NJCU, Seickendick floored 11 kills and hit .233 while Duque floored eight kills, playing both outside and middle hitter.
 
Baruch was led by senior outside Anita Sengara (Vancouver, B.C.) with 16 digs, 14 kills and five aces while junior right side Katherine Chen (Queens, N.Y.) tallied 11 kills. Sophomore setter Sanaa Hadjeb (Astoria, N.Y.) finished with 34 assists and four aces. Junior libero Wai Chang (Staten Island, N.Y.) collected 16 digs while junior outside Stella Chung (Staten Island, N.Y.) had 15 more digs. Freshman right side Claudia Daporta (South Tyrol, Italy) had nine kills, hitting .364.
 
After the clubs split the first two sets, Baruch dominated game three and had a 2-1 lead in the match and led 19-13 in game four. NJCU rallied behind the serving of Sunahara, to tie it at 19-19. The clubs were tied again at 21-21 before Baruch used two kills by Chung to seize match point, leading 24-21. But NJCU did not quit and rallied to score the final five points of the set to prevail, 26-24. After a pair of attack errors by Baruch, freshman Laila Durrani (Jersey City, NJ/County Prep via Dickinson), who came on as a reserve, responded to a joust attempt by flooring just the fifth kill of her collegiate career to tie it at 24-24. A solo block by Vega gave NJCU set point and Durrani added another kill, taking advantage of an opening to force the fifth set.
 
But in the fifth set, Baruch jumped out to a 5-2 lead behind a pair of aces and NJCU couldn't recover. After NJCU pulled within 9-7, Baruch scored the next four points—two kills by Chen, one from Daporta and an ace by Sengara to pull ahead 13-7. NJCU countered with two kills and a solo block from Duque as part of a four-point stretch to claw back within 13-11 before an NJCU attack sailed long and Baruch sealed the win with a kill by Daporta.

 
OF NOTE:

• Series vs. Wilkes: Wilkes leads, 5-1.
• Series vs. Baruch: 13th meeting. Baruch leads, 9-4. Last year's meeting (October 4, 2008) also was decided in five sets.

 
UP NEXT:

• NJCU will celebrate its Senior Class of Stephanie Duque (West New York, NJ/Memorial) and middle blocker Diana Trochimowicz (Linden, NJ/Linden) on Tuesday, October 22 at 7:00 PM when it hosts Rowan University at the JMAC. Watch Live on #GothicVision.

 
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