BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The New Jersey City University (NJCU) men's volleyball team earned a commanding 3-0 victory over St. Joseph's University-Brooklyn (SJUBK) on Thursday, March 27, at The Hill Center. The Gothic Knights (17-8, 12-2 Skyline) were in control from start to finish, sweeping the Bears (5-15, 3-12 Skyline) with set scores of 25-19, 25-15, and 25-14.

NJCU's offensive firepower was on full display as they outpaced the Bears in virtually every statistical category. The Gothic Knights registered a .241 hitting percentage (38 kills on 87 attempts), compared to SJUBK's .067 hitting percentage (20 kills on 90 attempts). NJCU also dominated in kills (38-20), aces (7-3), blocks (7-1), assists (36-18), and digs (49-27).

The Green and Gold were led by Matt Peralta (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack), who posted a match-high 12 kills, along with eight digs and two service aces. Marcus Pardasie (Paramus, N.J./Cresskill) was a key contributor as well, finishing with 11 kills, seven digs, three blocks, and two aces. Faraz Bhatti (Union, N.J./Union) set up 21 assists and added a season-high five digs to the effort, while Alex Casais (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) chipped in with 13 assists and four digs. Johan Vaidyan (Piscataway, N.J./Saint Joseph) was also impressive, recording six kills on seven attempts for an .857 hitting percentage, along with season-highs in blocks (4) and digs (4), adding a service ace. Kevin Phan (Belleville, N.J./Belleville), who played libero, anchored the defense with a team-high nine digs, plus season-highs of one kill and two assists.

For SJUBK, Jermias Martinez led the way with nine kills, nine digs, and three aces. Gianfranco Guarraci dished out 18 assists and contributed three digs, while Mark Belov had the Bears' lone block and two kills. Matthew Cottone added seven digs.

The match got off to a close start with NJCU leading by just one, 5-4, before a kill by Mike McGehee (Avondale, Ariz./Agua Fria) sparked a dominant 12-4 run that gave the Gothic Knights a commanding 17-8 lead. Despite a strong response from the Bears, who went on an 11-4 run to close the gap to 21-19, NJCU finished the set with four consecutive points to seal a 25-19 win in the opening frame.

In the second set, SJUBK came out strong with a 4-0 run, but NJCU quickly regained control with a 9-2 run of their own, taking the lead 9-6. Peralta led the charge with three kills during the run. The Gothic Knights continued to build their advantage, and at 12-9, a kill by Pardasie triggered a 4-0 run that pushed their lead to 16-9. At 18-12, Peralta took over, scoring three straight points as part of a 6-1 run to close out the set 25-15, with a Bears' service error serving as the set point.

With the match firmly in hand, NJCU came out strong in the third set. Up 12-10, the Gothic Knights went on a decisive 13-4 run, with five players contributing kills to help seal the set and match 25-14.

UP NEXT:
The Gothic Knights will return home for Senior Day on Sunday, March 30, as they face Yeshiva and Sarah Lawrence at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. The matches are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 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.