SCRANTON, Pa. — The New Jersey City University women's volleyball team traveled up to Pennsylvania today, Saturday, Oct. 23, for a tri-match on the campus of the University of Scranton. The Gothic Knights first faced off with Wilkes University in a hard-fought five-set loss (21-25, 25-23, 25-19, 24-26, 8-15), and then took on the hosting Royals in a three-set defeat (16-25, 20-25, 7-25).

In the first match of the day for NJCU (13-9), the Gothic Knights earned every point against the Colonels (10-16) and led two sets to one at one point, but unfortunately dropped the five-setter to Wilkes. Junior right-side hitter Paola Toledo (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Colegio Catolico San Rafael) recorded her first double-double with the Gothic Knights after leading all players with a match- and season-best 16 kills (ties her career-best from NJCAA) to go with a season-best 20 digs.

Rookie outside hitter Rachael Pharo (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) added yet another double-double to her first collegiate season with 12 kills and 22 digs. Senior libero Madeline Lopez (Elizabeth, N.J./Hudson Catholic) obliterated her career-high dig total with a match-best 32 to go with a pair of aces. Junior Katrina Nguyendon (Union, N.J./Union) got the start at setter and took advantage, dishing out a career- and match-high 47 assists to go with a season-best 17 digs for her first double-double of the season and 11th of her career.

Middle blockers junior Xarial Chandler (East Orange, N.J./University) and senior Leah Seickendick (Hoboken, N.J./Hudson Catholic) each had strong matches versus the Colonels. Chandler finished with 11 kills on 33 swings with four errors (.212 hitting percentage) to go with nine digs, three blocks and two aces. Seickendick notched eight error-less kills on 14 swings (.571) to go with a match-best four total blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Alexis Newsome (Watchung, N.J./Hudson Catholic) finished with seven kills, a match- and career-high six aces, two total blocks and 11 digs, also a career-best.

The day's second match for Jersey City was unfortunately not as close as the historically competitive Scranton (23-5) squad dispatched NJCU in three sets. Toledo once again led the Gothic Knights with a team-best eight kills. Nguyendon finished with a team-high 10 assists, while Pharo had three kills and a team-best six digs. Seickendick once again led all players with a match-high three total blocks to go with three error-less kills on eight swings (.375).

What's Next:
The Knights return home for the final three matches of their regular-season schedule. NJCU kicks the homestand off with a Tuesday night, Oct. 26, New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) match against Montclair State University, with first-serve scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC). Then, on Thursday night, Oct. 28, at 7:00 p.m., NJCU will celebrate its Senior Night and then take on non-conference foe Mount Saint Mary College. The Gothic Knights close out the regular-season on Saturday morning, Oct. 30, at 11:00 a.m. against another non-conference opponent in St. Joseph's College-L.I. at 11:00 a.m. at the JMAC. You can catch all three matches live on GothicVision.