UNION, N.J. – The New Jersey City University (NJCU) men's volleyball team fell in straight sets to both #4-ranked Stevens and #6-ranked Vassar at the Clash at Kean Tournament, hosted by Kean University on Saturday, January 18. The Gothic Knights (0-3) were defeated 25-15, 25-16, 25-12 by Stevens in their first match and 25-15, 25-14, 25-19 by Vassar in the second.

MATCH ONE: Stevens 3, NJCU 0
Stevens (4-0) showcased a strong all-around performance, statistically outmatching the Gothic Knights in several key categories, including points (51-29), kills (35-25), aces (9-3), blocks (7-1), assists (35-24), and digs (25-18). The Ducks posted an impressive .424 hitting percentage, while NJCU struggled with a .074 mark.

The match began with a strong start from NJCU, as they went on a 4-1 run behind a kill and service ace from sophomore Marcus Pardasie (Paramus, N.J./Cresskill). The Gothic Knights held the lead until 6-5, when Stevens responded with a 4-0 run to take a 9-6 advantage. NJCU fought back but was unable to stem the tide of the Ducks' offense. Stevens finished the first set with a 4-0 run, claiming the set 25-15. Matt Peralta (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) led NJCU with three kills in the set.

The second set saw both teams trading points early, but after the score was tied at 4-4, Stevens went on a dominant 21-12 run to win the set 25-16. Mike McGehee (Avondale, Ariz./Agua Fria) led NJCU in the set with three kills, but the Ducks took advantage of several unforced errors by NJCU, pulling away to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match. Stevens dominated the third set, limiting NJCU to just 12 points and finishing with a 25-12 victory to claim the match in straight sets.

MATCH TWO: Vassar 3, NJCU 0
In their second match of the day, NJCU faced Vassar (3-0), who outpaced the Gothic Knights in every statistical category: points (44-26), kills (30-22), aces (9-1), blocks (5-3), assists (27-21), and digs (20-16). Vassar finished with a .355 hitting percentage, while NJCU struggled with a .000 mark.

Vassar started the first set strong, grabbing an early lead and holding it for most of the set. The Brewers went on a 4-0 run to extend their lead to 18-11. Pardasie ended the run with a kill, but Vassar responded with a 7-3 run to close out the set 25-15.

The second set began with both teams trading points, but a service error by NJCU at 7-7 sparked a 17-7 run by Vassar. This allowed the Brewers to pull away and win the set 25-14. Justin Walker (Paterson, N.J./Paterson Charter) led NJCU with four kills in the set, but the Gothic Knights couldn't recover from the momentum shift, falling into a 2-0 deficit.

The third set saw NJCU fall behind 5-2, but a kill by Pardasie and three Vassar errors tied the score at 6-6. However, Vassar regrouped and went on a 17-9 run to grab their largest lead of the match at 23-15. Despite NJCU's efforts, including three kills from Pardasie, the Brewers closed out the set 25-19 and completed the 3-0 sweep.

UP NEXT:
The Gothic Knights will return to action on Tuesday, January 21, for their home opener against Drew at 7:00 p.m.

For the latest news, updates, and information on New Jersey City University sports, visit njcugothicknights.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Gothic Knights news by following NJCU Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.