JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The New Jersey City University women's volleyball team continued its unprecedented start to the 2021 season today, Saturday, Sept. 18, with its 3-0 (25-12, 25-13, 25-15) victory over Saint Elizabeth University at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC). The Gothic Knights improved on their program-best start to a season by winning their fifth in a row to begin the year under the guidance of first-year head coach Jordan Robinson.

The star of the day for NJCU (5-0) was sophomore outside hitter Alexis Newsome (Watchung, N.J./Hudson Catholic), who finished the afternoon with career highs in kills (8), digs (6) and aces (4) against the Eagles (0-3). Additionally, her kill total was a match high, while her four aces tied for the match-best total. Serving was also the overall theme of the day for the Gothic Knights, as NJCU combined for 23 total aces on the afternoon. Newsome, as mentioned, had four, but so did sophomores middle blocker Ashley Jimenez (West New York, N.J./Memorial) and setter Sydney Lore (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee), as well as senior libero and co-captain Madeline Lopez (Elizabeth, N.J./Hudson Catholic). Rookie outside hitter Rachael Pharo (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) also nabbed three service aces, while junior defensive specialist Katrina Nguyendon (Union, N.J./Union) finished with two.

Tied up at 4-4 early in the first set, the Knights broke out on 6-0 run to make it 10-4 and they never looked back en route to 13-point set win. The first game was capped off with another 6-0 run to seal the early 1-0 lead. All four of Newsome's service aces came during this sequence. In set number two, NJCU led 6-5 before going on a 8-2 run to stretch out out to a 14-7 lead. At the end, leading 22-13, the Gothic Knights ran off three straight points, including the last two of Nguyendon's aces, to take the 2-0 lead. With the third set starting a bit close, the Gothic Knights found themselves up 12-10 midway through before running out on a 6-1 run to make it an 18-11 match and put them solidly in control — three of those points came via Jimenez service aces. In need of four points to win the match, NJCU ended the day with a 4-1 run to take it, capped off by a nice kill from Jimenez.

Highlight:
- Overall, Newsome was 8-for-19 on swings with just one error (.368 hitting percentage).
- Pharo finished with five kills to go with her trio of aces, along with a pair of digs.
- Jimenez finished with four kills on nine swings with two errors (.222) in addition to her four aces.
- Lore led all players with 17 assists, chipping in three kills and two digs along with her aforementioned four aces.
- Lopez' seven digs were good enough for a team-high.

Up Next:
The Gothic Knights begin New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play on Tuesday night, Sept. 21, in Mahwah, N.J., against Ramapo College. NJCU and the Roadrunners did play last Spring season, as Ramapo opted out of competition.