NEW PALTZ, N.Y. — The New Jersey City University men's volleyball squad, fresh off its first victory of the 2024 season, squared off on the road for a tri-match on Saturday, Feb. 10, against two of the top programs in NCAA Division III. NJCU first took on host #RV New Paltz, pushing the Hawks to the brink in a four-set loss (25-21, 23-25, 28-26, 25-19), before falling to reigning national champion and current #2-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology in three sets (25-15, 25-21, 25-19).
Match 1: #RV New Paltz 3, NJCU 1
In the day's first match, which saw the Gothic Knights (1-7) take on the hometown Hawks (6-5), it was New Paltz that got ahead early on in the first set before leading by four at 13-9. NJCU then won five of the next six points to tie it up at 14-14, with three kills from fifth-year tri-captain middle blocker
Brandon DaSilva (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) and a pair rookie outside hitter
Marcus Pardasie (Paramus, N.J./Cresskill). The Hawks answered that run, however, with one of their own to re-take a 19-15 advantage en route to the 25-21 set one win. Early on in the second set, the squads were knotted up at 5-5 before the Green and Gold took a 9-6 lead thanks in part to two more kills from Pardasie. New Paltz fired back to take a 19-16 lead, but NJCU continued to push and took four of the next six, including an ace from fifth-year tri-captain opposite
James Bajor (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) and another kill from Pardasie to lead 20-18. The Gothic Knights did not trail for the remainder of the set en route to the 25-23 win.
The third set saw the teams trade the lead back and fourth early as NJCU went up 8-7. The Hawks took five of the next six to lead, 12-9, but the Gothic Knights answered by tying it up at 12-12 with kills from Bajor and DaSilva. New Paltz kept it going, though, and then went up 17-13 and eventually led by five at 22-17. But then the Green and Gold won six straight points behind a kill and a block from Pardasie to take a slim, 23-22, advantage. The teams then traded once again before NJCU had a chance to take a one-set lead, up 26-25 in the third, but New Paltz won the final three points to take it, 28-26. Set four saw the Gothic Knights and Hawks trade blows, once again, with NJCU taking a slim 12-10 lead halfway through. However, New Paltz followed that with a 10-1 run to go up, 20-13. The Gothic Knights then won six of the final 11 points, but the Hawks eventually won the set, 25-19, and the match in four sets.
Highlights vs. New Paltz:
- Pardasie led NJCU with 16 kills and just five errors on 42 swings (.262 hitting percentage) and added five digs and a block.
- DaSilva had an efficient 10 kills and two errors on 16 swings (.500) to go with four digs and a game-high-tying four blocks.
- Bajor tied the match high with nine digs, adding nine kills, two assists, a block and an ace.
- Fifth-year tri-captain libero
Nico Figueroa (Jersey City, N.J./County Prep) had seven digs against the Hawks.
- Sophomore setter
Alex Casais (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) had 32 assists, five digs, two blocks and an ace.
Match 2: #2 Stevens 3, NJCU 0
The first set saw things stay relatively close until the 15-13 mark in favor of Stevens. The Ducks finished the set on a 10-2 run to take it, 25-15. Set two saw NJCU go up by three early on at 6-3, which included four kills from Bajor. Stevens chipped away and eventually went ahead on several occasions before going on a 6-2 run to take a 20-15 lead. The Gothic Knights followed that up by winning six of the next 10 points, led by two kills from Bajor. However, the Ducks held off the NJCU comeback and won the set, 25-21. In the match's final set, the Gothic Knights took a slim, 10-8, lead. The next six points came from Stevens, however, to go up by four at 14-10. NJCU came close to tying it up shortly thereafter, but Stevens maintained control en route to the 25-19 lead and the three-set match.
Highlights vs. Stevens:
- Bajor led all players with 10 kills to go with five digs and a block.
- DaSilva had seven kills, while Serour had five.
- Casias led all players with 19 assists to go with a team-high-tying seven digs.
Up Next:
For the first time this season, the Gothic Knights return tot he John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC) when they host Saint Elizabeth University on Tuesday night, Feb. 13, at 7:00 p.m. on Coach Charlie Brown Court.
