GLASSBORO, N.J. — The New Jersey City University women's volleyball team took on New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) opponent Rowan University on the road tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 18. The Gothic Knights dropped the four-set road clash with the Profs (25-8, 25-16, 23-25, 25-17), but managed to take a set off of Rowan for the first time since the 2011 campaign.

NJCU (12-11, 2-5 NJAC) played a strong game against the first-place Profs (18-3, 7-0 NJAC). Getting the start at setter, senior Katrina Nguyendon (Union, N.J./Union) dished out a season-best 34 assists for a near-double-double with nine digs. The recipients of many of those passes was sophomore outside hitter Brenda Gonzalez (Union City, N.J./Dickinson), who finished with a team-high 11 kills to go with seven digs and a team-best three aces. Right behind her was the extremely efficient senior middle blocker Leah Seickendick (Hoboken, N.J./Hudson Catholic), who notched her second double-digit kill performance of the season with 10 and just two errors on only 18 swings (.444 hitting percentage).

Sliding into the starting libero role for the match was senior Krista Bartko (Edison, N.J./Edison) and she finished with a season- and team-best 10 digs. Senior right-side hitter Paola Toledo (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Colegio Catolico San Rafael) had a good night, as well, and ended with eight kills and nine digs. Sophomore outside hitter Rachael Pharo (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) chipped in eight digs and five kills on the night too.

The set of the night for Jersey City was the third, which the squad won by two at 25-23. Trailing by five at 13-8, NJCU went on a 7-2 run to tie it up at 15 and force a Profs' timeout. Gonzalez and Toledo each had one kill over that stretch, while Seickendick notched a pair. Out of the break, the teams traded points until it was Rowan that used a brief 4-1 run to make it 23-20. Trailing, Seickendick took over and finished with two kills and a block (combined with Toledo) to help NJCU take the final five points and win the set.

Up Next:
The Gothic Knights begin the final leg of their regular-season. First up is Senior Night on Thursday evening, Oct. 20, back at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Cener (JMAC) against Baruch College, beginning at 7:00 p.m.