NEW YORK — The New Jersey City University men's volleyball program kicked off Skyline Conference play on Friday afternoon, Feb. 16, on the road at Yeshiva University. The Gothic Knights did not skip a beat against the Maccabees and swept the home squad in three sets (25-7, 25-11, 25-9) behind a very balanced and efficient attack, with just six errors and a .596 team hitting percentage.
NJCU (2-7, 1-0 Skyline) started off set number by winning 12 of the first 13 points. The teams then traded off points until the Gothic Knights led Yeshiva (0-5, 0-1 Skyline) 15-5 and then they won 10 of the final 12 points to take the first set, 25-7. Rookie outside hitter
Marcus Pardasie (Paramus, N.J./Cresskill) had four kills and three aces in the first set, while fifth year middle blocker
Brandon DaSilva (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) had five kills and a solo block. Sophomore setter
Alex Casais (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) facilitated with 12 assists on 18 attempts without an error, adding two aces.
The second was much of the same as NJCU jumped out to a 9-2 lead before taking the set, 25-11. Pardasie and senior outside hitter
Mahmoud Serour (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) each had three kills and an ace, while fifth year opposite
James Bajor (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) had two kills, two aces and a couple of blocks. Sophomore setter
Erik Narvaez (Newark, N.J./Newark East Side) came in and dished out eight assists to go with an ace.
The third and final set again saw the Gothic Knights jump out to a big lead with a 12-3 advantage. Yeshiva got a few points back and made it 13-6 before the Green and Gold won 12 of the final 15 points to take the set, 25-9 and won the match, 3-0. DaSilva had five more kills on five swings for a perfect 1.000 hitting percentage in the third, adding two aces. Serour had two kills and two aces, as well. Rookie setter
Faraz Bhatti (Union, N.J./Union) debuted, as well, and dished out 11 assists on 13 attempts.
Highlights:
- DaSilva finished the day with 10 kills and just two errors on 13 swings (.615) to go with two blocks, four aces and two digs.
- Pardasie had 10 kills on 12 error-less swings (.833) to go with four aces and a dig.
- Serour ended his day with nine kills and two errors on 14 swings (.500) and added a match-best five digs and three aces.
Up Next:
NJCU returns to action on the road on Wednesday night, Feb. 21, for a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) match at Rutgers-Newark, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
