NEWARK, N.J. – The New Jersey City University men's volleyball team had a thrilling non-conference match against Rutgers University-Newark on Tuesday, Feb. 8. The Gothic Knights battled back and forth with the #7-ranked Scarlet Raiders, specifically in the first set, which came down to the matter of winning two consecutive points in an extremely high-scoring game. The Green and Gold managed to take a lead in the second, but ultimately fell in three close sets (38-36, 25-21, 25-18).
Junior opposite
James Bajor (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) made the first kill for NJCU (2-4), assisted by senior setter
Aaron Mantilla (Kearny, N.J./Kearny). Junior outside hitter
Hanel Collado (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen), freshman middle blocker
Nate Aguilar (Kearny, N.J./Kearny), senior outside hitter
Jonathan Andrews (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen) and junior middle blocker
Brandon DaSilva (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) all put in kills throughout the first set – each one assisted by Mantilla, who tallied a season-high 26 assists in tonight's contest. Once the teams were tied up at 25-25, it was only a matter of points to win it. DaSilva and Andrews put in the final kills for NJCU, including a huge block by DaSilva. Following a service error, Rutgers-Newark (4-1) finished off the set with two kills by Andrew Zaleck, the leading scorer of the night with his 21 kills.
With kills by Andrews and Bajor, an assist by senior libero
Daniel Esteva (Union, N.J./Union) and a service ace by Collado, NJCU managed to pull away in a five-point lead. DaSilva added a kill before the Scarlet Raiders gained momentum and finished off the second set. Three errors by Rutgers-Newark and a service ace by Andrews held NJCU down to the point where they trailed 12-4. Sophomore outside hitter/libero
Mahmoud Serour (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) put in two back-to-back kills and a service ace to mark his action for the night. Andrews, Bajor and DaSilva each made a single block in the third set. Aguilar put in the final kill for the Gothic Knights, assisted by Mantilla.
Highlights:
- Andrews led the team with nine kills and eight digs, while Mantilla added 26 assists.
- Following Andrews, Bajor tallied seven kills, DaSilva with five and Collado with three.
- Bajor, Mantilla and Esteva all scored digs – Bajor with five and Esteva and Mantilla each with four.
- DaSilva led NJCU with three blocks, followed by Andrews with two and Bajor with one.
UP NEXT:
The Green and Gold will stay on the road to Union, N.J., where they will take on the Cougars of Kean University on Thursday, Feb. 10.
