BROOKLYN,  N.Y. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University men's volleyball team took the opening set from Division I St. Francis College-Brooklyn and nearly forced a fifth set before falling to the Terriers, 3-1 (25-16, 15-25, 10-25, 22-25) in non-conference action on February 16. It was the first-ever meeting between the schools.
 
The loss ends a three-match winning streak for NJCU, which drops to 4-3. The Terriers, a first-year program, are 3-5.
 
Junior outside hitter Jonathan Andrews (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) produced his second career double-double and the first since his collegiate debut on January 30, 2017 at Lehman (10 kills, 13 digs), finishing the day with 13 kills, a .312 attack percentage (13-3-32) and 14 digs. 
 
Sophomore setter Leo Ferrari (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) contributed 26 assists and eight digs. Also for NJCU, senior right side Julian Moreira (Miami, FL/Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Biscayne Bay Campus) had five kills and three blocks and senior libero J.J. Berdecia (West New York, NJ/Memorial) finished with seven digs.
 
Freshman Dominick Pikura (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) led the Terriers with 16 kills and a .448 attack percentage (16-3-29), adding 13 digs for a double-double and three blocks (two solo). Freshman middle blocker James Henneberry (Wildwood, Mo.) tacked on 10 kills, hitting .400 (10-2-20) with four blocks.
 
SFC also received 35 assists and six digs from freshman setter Andrew Piloto (Ontario, Calif.), who chipped in five kills in eight swings (.625). Freshman outside Johnny Ferraro (New City, N.Y.) landed five aces and junior libero Derrick Truong (Philadelphia, Pa.) had 10 digs.
 
NJCU hit .250 in the opening set to surprise the Terriers, forcing seven attack errors. Leading 15-12, the Knights reeled off seven points in a row to claim a 22-12 edge and pull away. Moreira and freshman middle blocker Brandon DaSilva (Kearny, NJ/Kearny), the NCAA Division III leader in blocks, had two combo blocks during the run.
 
NJCU had 11 kills in the second set but SFC was the more efficient team, hitting .350 (8-1-20) while jumping out to an early 7-1 lead that the Knights couldn't answer. The Terriers posted dominant attack numbers in the third set—13 kills and 0 errors in 17 swings for a colossal .765 attack percentage to seize a 2-1 lead in the match. It scored the first five points of the set and held an 18-5 advantage before sealing a 25-10 win.
 
NJCU tried to force a fifth set and led early in the fourth, 5-2. The clubs played even volleyball from there, with ties at 8, 9, 12, 13, 14 and 15. Two NJCU attack errors gave the Terriers some separation (17-15) and SFC amassed 14 kills in the fourth set. NJCU was able to draw within one and 21-20 and 22-21, and again at 23-22, before a kill by Pikura and a double block by Ferraro and Henneberry sealed the victory, 25-22.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: First meeting.
• Jonathan Andrews (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) reached double-digit kills for the fifth time in 2020, the third match in a row and the 13th time in his NJCU career.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• NJCU opens Skyline Conference play when it faces fellow New Jersey Athletic Conference rival—the schools that compete in both the Skyline and NJAC leagues—on Wednesday, February 19 at 7 p.m. in Mahwah, N.J. The Roadrunners are 7-5 (1-0 Skyline). It will be the 67th meeting against the opponent NJCU has faced the most of any in its history. Ramapo leads the all-time series, 55-11, and have won the last 26 meetings since 2006.

 
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