MAHWAH, N.J. – After dropping the first set in extra points, the New Jersey City University women's volleyball team took the next three sets and earned the 3-1 (27-29, 25-20, 25-23, 25-17) victory over Ramapo College in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) battle on Tuesday night, Sept. 21.
 
The win is NJCU's (6-0, 1-0 NJAC) first against the Roadrunners (1-5, 0-2 NJAC) since 2007. It is also the first time the Gothic Knights have started NJAC play 1-0 since 2009. Additionally, that season was also the last one in which NJCU picked up a road conference victory, defeating Kean University in five sets on Sept. 29, 2009. Last but not least, the win extends the Gothic Knights' program-record start to the season to six consecutive victories.
 
Three NJCU players were solid offensively and totaled double-digit kills each. Junior Paola Toledo (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Colegio Catolico San Rafael) led all players with 14 kills on 40 swings with six errors (.200). Rookie Rachael Pharo (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) recorded her third double-double of the season after notching 13 kills and a match-high 23 digs, which ties her season-best – she added two aces as well. Senior Leah Seickendick (Hoboken, N.J./Hudson Catholic) registered a season-high 12 kills on 26 swings with five errors (.269) and tied the match-high with three total blocks.
 
Other highlights include sophomore Sydney Lore (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee), who led all players with a career-best 45 assists to go with nine digs, three aces, two blocks and a kill. Junior Xarial Chandler (East Orange, N.J./University) also finished with a strong line of nine kills and two errors on 24 swings (.292) to go with seven digs, three blocks and two aces.
 
Defensively, in addition to Pharo's match-high 23 digs, Lore's nine and Chandler's seven, senior libero Madeline Lopez (Elizabeth, N.J./Hudson Catholic) tied her career-high dig total with 17 for the second time this season – she also had five assists and three aces. Sophomore Ashley Jimenez (West New York, N.J./Memorial) totaled a career-high 13 digs to go with her two kills. Sophomore Alexis Newsome (Watchung, N.J./Hudson Catholic) had eight digs and two kills as well, while senior Krista Bartko (Edison, N.J./Edison) chipped in seven digs of her own.
 
What's Next:
After several schedule changes, the Gothic Knights will in fact return to action back at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC) on Thursday night, Sept. 23, at 8:00 p.m. for their second NJAC match of the season, when Rutgers-Newark comes to Jersey City. Catch all the action live on GothicVision.