TOWSON, Md. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University women's volleyball team's longest road trip of the season resulted in a split as the Gothic Knights went 1-1 in a non-conference tri-match played at Goucher College on September 28. NJCU fell to host Goucher in the opening match, 3-0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-20) before bouncing back to sweep Delaware Valley University, 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-15) in the second match.
 
With the split, NJCU is 5-8 on the season, snapping a six-match losing streak with the split. Senior outside hitter Stephanie Duque (West New York, NJ/Memorial) combined for 19 kills in six sets on the day.
 

MATCH 1: Goucher 3, New Jersey City 0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-20)
Goucher (7-6) hit .303 as a team with 38 kills and only 11 errors (89 attempts). NJCU was limited to 23 kills and a .034 attack rate. The Gophers had double digit kills in all three sets, setting the tone with 15 in the opening set. NJCU had a 13-11 margin in kills in the final game.
 
The Gophers saw four players combined in an even attack for 31 of the 38 kills. Sophomore outside Kaya Melchor (Mililani, Hawaii) had nine kills, hitting .412, with three aces, freshman Rachel Chapman (Rochester, N.Y.) had eight kills, hitting .350 (8-1-20), junior middle blocker Bianca Brown (North Brunswick, N.J.) landed seven kills with a .417 attack percentage (7-2-12) and junior outside Emily Sorrells (Annapolis, Md.) put away seven kills (.375, 7-1-16). 
 
Also for Goucher, sophomore setter Tes DeJaeger (Norwalk, Conn.) had 19 assists and freshman setter Vendela Lundagren (Columbia, Md.) added 11 assists. Sophomore defensive specialist Cat Hartley (Colorado Springs, Colo.) finished with 11 digs.
 
Duque finished with a team-high nine kills (9-4-25, .200) with six digs while freshman setter Katrina Nguyendon (Union, NJ/Union) handed out 17 assists. Sophomore libero Madeline Lopez (Elizabeth, NJ/Hudson Catholic) defended 11 digs. 
 
MATCH 2: New Jersey City 3, Delaware Valley 0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-15)
Duque and sophomore outside Lola Vega each planted 10 kills and three players had double digits in digs as NJCU got back into the win column with the sweep of the Aggies (2-9). NJCU committed just three service errors in the win.
 
Duque added eight digs to lead a well-rounded effort. Nguyendon registered her sixth double-double of the season with 20 assists and 12 digs. 
 
Lopez, in the lineup as the starting libero after an injury on Thursday to freshman libero Bella Sunahara (Parker, CO/Legend), led all players with 17 digs while freshman outside Xarial Chandler (East Orange, NJ/University) added 16 digs
 
DVU was limited to a negative attack in the contest (24-27-126, -.024). Junior outside Krista Hiller (Sellersville, Pa.) had 18 digs to pace four Aggies with double digits in the defensive category. Freshman setter Caitlin Nemil (Fairfax Station, Va.) had a double-double with 20 assists and 10 digs. Senior defensive specialists Jess Ellick (East Norriton, Pa.) and Tara Moffa (Hatfield, Pa.) contributed 15 and 13 digs, respectively. 
 
There were 12 ties and 12 lead changes in a see-saw opening set before NJCU chalked up four of the final five points, including back-to-back kills by Duque and Vega, to win the first set and end a string of 13 consecutive sets lost.
 
NJCU used a 6-0 spurt early in the second set to claim a 12-5 lead to pull away. When DVU drew with 18-14, NJCU scored another six in a row for a 24-14 advantage. NJCU vaulted out to a 12-2 lead in game two and never looked back.
 
 OF NOTE:

• Series vs. Goucher: First-ever meeting.
• Series vs. Delaware Valley: Eighth meeting. All-time series even, 4-4.

 
UP NEXT:
The calendar turns to October and for the third consecutive New Jersey Athletic Conference match, the Gothic Knights will meet one of the league's top three programs, when it hosts Stockton University on Tuesday, October 1 (7 p.m.) at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court). Watch Live on #GothicVision.
 
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