JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The New Jersey City University women's volleyball squad hosted its second and final non-conference home tri-match of the season today, Saturday, Sept. 7, as the Gothic Knights welcomed Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham and Bryn Mawr College to the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC). After a barn burner of a first match, which went five sets in a tough loss to the Devils, NJCU bounced back in a big way to end the day with a sweep of the Owls.
Match 1: FDU 3, NJCU 2 (25-23, 27-25, 24-26, 17-25, 16-14)
NJCU (2-3) and the Devils (3-3) started things off with a bang, squaring off in the morning's first match at 10:00 a.m. and it ended up being the day's most exciting contest. The first set needed all the energy each tem had first thing in the morning, which FDU coming out on top by two. The Gothic Knights were actually more efficient on the attack in the first game, hitting .267 to the Devils' .143, led by six error-less kills on eight swings (.750) from junior right-side
Kiki Lugo (Kearny, N.J./Kearny). Senior outside
Brenda Gonzalez (Union City, N.J./Dickinson) also had four kills and one error on eight attempts (.375), but the difference was NJCU's 10 combined errors between setting, serving and receiving versus FDU's five, including no setting errors.
The second set went to extra points before the Devils once again claimed the game to go up 2-0 in the match. Gonzalez was dominant in this one with 10 kills on 18 swings with five errors (.278), however the team hit just .133 compared to .167 for the Devils. FDU was also flawless on 27 service attempts, including three aces, while NJCU had three service errors on 25 attempts, including three aces of its own. Set three, a must win for the Gothic Knights to continue the match, was just that as they won in extra points themselves. Gonzalez had five more kills on 17 swings with one error (.235), but junior outside hitter
Marina Millett (Matawan, N.J./Saint John Vianney) was the feature, notching nine kills and one error on 12 swings (.667). Lugo and sophomore middle blocker
Brianna Melanson (South Brunswick, N.J./South Brunswick) each had a couple of kills too.
Set four was the most lopsided of the match as NJCU easily dispatched the Devils by an eight-point margin. The Gothic Knights hits .188 to FDU's .000 and had six total aces. Millett shined once again, totaling six more kills without an error on 12 swings (.500). Gonzalez had three kills, but moreover, registered all six of NJCU's aces, helping her squad reach the fifth and final set. The final game was all FDU to start as the visitors jumped out to a 10-4 lead. A 5-0 run made it 10-9 before the teams traded points excessively, including four ties. However, it was the Devils that came out on top in extra points. Gonzalez had four more kills, while Millett had two digs.
Highlights vs. FDU:
- NJCU outhit the Devils, .213 to .140 and had more kills (62-53) and aces (13-9).
- Gonzalez led all players with a career-best 26 kills with just nine errors on 57 swings (.298). She also set career marks in aces (match-high seven) and digs (13) to go with a block. It was her second double-double of the season and third of her career.
- Millett set a career-best in kills, as well, with 20, including just four errors on 48 swings (.333). She added a a career-high-tying 18 digs to go with a solo stuff of her own. It was her second-career double-double and the first of the season.
- Lugo had a career-best kills (11) and digs (11) for the first double-double of her career.
- Sophomore libero
Carly Everett (York, Pa./York Catholic) led all players with a career-best 27 digs, while sophomore setter
Genesis Hibbard (Groesbeck, Texas/Morristown (NJ)) dished out a match- and career-high 33 assists to go with 10 digs, also a career-high. It is her first-career double-double. Rookie setter
Keyanni Overstreet (Port Aurther, Texas/Sabine Pass) was right behind her with 22 assists.
Match 2: NJCU 3, Bryn Mawr 0 (27-25, 25-21, 25-15)
The closest set of the match was the first one for the Gothic Knights and Owls (1-4) as NJCU eked out a two-point win in extra play. Gonzalez led the squad once again, notching nine kills as she was part of a team that hit a stellar .316 with just three errors. NJCU limited Bryn Mawr to a .132 hitting percentage in the set, as well. The second set saw a more balanced attack as Melanson was a perfect 4-for-4 in kills, while Gonzalez (4) and Lugo (3) contributed offensively, as well.
NJCU held the Owls to a .000 hitting percentage in the third and final set, while Melanson, Millett and Gonzalez all finished with two kills apiece. Gonzalez and Everett each registered three aces, as well, while Millett had a couple of blocks. Overall, the Gothic Knights forced 18 Bryn Mawr errors in the set, while totaled just eight of their own.
Highlights vs. Bryn Mawr:
- Overall, NJCU hit .276 for the match, while Bryn Mawr hit .132. The Gothic Knights also held the edge in aces, 12-5.
- Gonzalez had another match-high with an efficient 15 kills and just three errors on 39 swings (.308) to go with four aces and a couple of digs.
- Melanson finished with seven error-less kills on eight swings (.875) and a block.
- Overstreet was the leading setter in this one with 15 assists, followed closed by Hibbard (14). The former also had nine digs.
- Everett once again led all players in digs with a match-best 12 to go with a match-high-tying four aces and three assists.
- Millett had six kills and seven digs, while Lugo had six kills, four digs and two aces.
Up Next:
The Gothic Knights have now capped off their home tri-matches for the 2024 campaign, but hit the road next for another non-conference tri, this time in Reading, Pa., against host Alvernia University and Delaware Valley University on Saturday, Sept. 14, beginning at 11:00 a.m.
