BRONX, N.Y. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Behind an exceptional effort from sophomore outside hitter Jonathan Andrews (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen), the New Jersey City University men's volleyball team (2-2) defeated Lehman College, 3-1 (25-18, 25-13, 23-25, 25-14) in non-conference action on February 5 at The APEX.
 
Andrews notched career highs in both kills and service aces, hitting .375 overall. Andrews' 17 kills were nearly as much as the entire Lehman roster (18 kills) and he uncorked six of NJCU's 16 aces.
 
Sophomore setter/right side Alexander Umanzor (West New York, NJ/Memorial) delivered 14 assists, seven kills, six digs, three aces and two blocks in an all-around effort. he hit .357 (7-2-14).
 
Freshman outside Leo Ferrari (Kearny, NJ/Kearny), yesterday named New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week, added eight kills (.250, 8-3-20) and six digs in three sets. Junior setter Jimmy Vega (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) and freshman setter Aaron Mantilla (Kearny, NJ/Kearny), provided 11 assists (two sets) and 10 assists (three sets), respectively, while Mantilla contributed three aces.
 
For Lehman, senior setter George Montilla (Bronx, N.Y.) had 12 assists, five digs and four kills. No Lightning (1-5) player had more than five kills.
 
NJCU held a 64 percent sideout percentage (45-70), including stellar lines of 78 percent in set two (11-14) and 80 percent (12-15) while closing out the fourth set.
 
'SETTING' IT UP

• In the first set, Lehman led 14-12 after a 4-1 run. NJCU bounced back to score the next five points. After an ace by Mantilla tied it, freshman middle hitter Jeffrey Rodriguez had a kill followed by a solo block and Andrews put away an attack for a 17-14 lead. Leading 19-17, NJCU scored the next four points and six of the final seven, to close out the win.
• In the second set, tied at 6-6, NJCU unleashed six consecutive points to grab the lead for good. A kill and two aces by Andrews and a combo block by Umanzor and Rodriguez highlighted the stretch. NJCU had two other stretches of four straight points in the game.
• In the third set, Lehman surged out to a surprising 15-6 lead, scoring seven in a row to vault from an 8-6 edge to a 15-6 margin. Senior middle Kris Rodriguez had three kills during the outburst.
• Trailing 21-11, NJCU bid for a comeback, scoring the next five points. Trailing 23-16, NJCU whittled the deficit to one, 23-22, after another 6-0 run spearheaded by back-to-back aces by Andrews and two kills in a row by Umanzor. NJCU again was within one, 24-23, before an attack error allowed Lehman to force a fourth set.
• The fourth set saw NJCU trail 7-6 before scoring eight of the next nine points to seize a 15-7 lead. Junior middle Julian Moreira (Miami, FL/Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Biscayne Bay Campus), making his season debut, landed back-to-back aces for a 20-11 lead before NJCU won by 11 points.

 
OF NOTE:

• Series: 43rd meeting. NJCU leads all-time, 28-15, and has won 23 of the last 26 meetings.
• Jonathan Andrews (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) reached double figures in kills for the fourth time in his career; the previous three occasions came as a freshman in 2017.
• Andrews previous career highs for kills was 15 on February 7, 2017 vs. Cairn (four sets). His previous career high for aces was five on April 1, 2017 vs. Sarah Lawrence.

 
UP NEXT:
NJCU travels to the Purchase, N.Y. to face Purchase College in non-conference action on Thursday, February 7 at 7 p.m. The Panthers are 2-4. It will be the 19th meeting in a series NJCU has dominated, 16-2.
 
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