MAHWAH, N.J. — The New Jersey City University men's volleyball team, seeded #3 in the 2023 Skyline Conference Tournament, closed out its run on Thursday, April 13, as the Gothic Knights fell on the road in four sets (25-15, 23-25, 25-22, 25-16) to second-seeded Ramapo College.
NJCU (18-10) started off a little slow out of the gates in the first set against the Roadrunners (20-11) as the home team took an early 1-0 advantage in the match. However, Jersey City kicked it into high gear in set number two to even it up at one apiece.
The Gothic Knights led for much of the early portion before a late surge from Ramapo put the Roadrunners ahead, 20-19, for their first lead of set #2. A well-timed kill from rookie middle blocker
Amaru Perales (Harrison, N.J./Harrison) tied it back up at 20-20 before Ramapo again jumped in front, 21-20. Junior outside hitter
Mahmoud Serour (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) then came up huge with back-to-back kills before senior co-captain opposite
James Bajor (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) recorded an ace to make it 23-21 in favor of NJCU. Two straight Ramapo points tied it back up at 23-23 before a Roadrunner service error made it set point for Jersey City. The Green and Gold then turned to senior co-captain middle blocker
Brandon DaSilva (Kearny, N.J./Kearny), who won the set with a big-time kill.
The third set started out evenly, with both teams knotted up at 6-6. Then, NJCU went on a brief 4-1 run, with kills from DaSilva, Bajor and freshman outside hitter
Victor De Souza (Newark, N.J./Newark East Side), as well as an all-rookie block from Perales and De Souza, to go up, 10-7. However, five straight Ramapo points shifted momentum to the home team, who now led, 12-10. The Roadrunners maintained that advantage and ultimately won the set, 25-22. The Gothic Knights then could not get anything going in the fourth and Ramapo eventually won that set, 25-16, and the match, 3-1.
Highlights:
- Bajor led NJCU with 16 kills to go with seven digs, two blocks and two aces.
- DaSilva was right behind him with 11 kills. He also had two digs and two blocks.
- Serour nearly touched a double-double, finishing his day with 12 digs, nine kills and two blocks.
- Senior setter
Leo Ferrari (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) led all players with 47 assists to go with four digs, two aces and a block.
- Senior libero
Daniel Esteva (Union, N.J./Union) led Jersey City with 13 digs.
- Perales had a team-best four total blocks to go with his five kills on the evening.
Up Next:
Though NJCU's Skyline play has come to an end, as has its hopes for the program's second-ever bid to the NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championship, the Gothic Knights' 2023 season is not over. Jersey City now awaits its selection fate for the 2023 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Men's Volleyball Championship, which takes place on Wednesday, April 19, and Saturday, April 22, at various campus host sites. Selections for the tournament will be announced on Monday, April 17, following that morning's NCAA Tournament selections.
