JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The New Jersey City University (NJCU) men's volleyball team delivered a commanding performance against the University of Mount Saint Vincent (UMSV) on Wednesday, March 5, sweeping the Dolphins in three sets: 25-8, 25-11, and 25-19. The match, held at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center, saw the Gothic Knights improve to a 9-7 overall record and 4-1 in Skyline Conference play.

Offensively, NJCU was led by the exceptional play of Victor De Souza (Newark, N.J./Newark East Side), who finished with a team-high six kills on seven attempts, posting an impressive .857 hitting percentage. In addition to his offensive efficiency, De Souza contributed two service aces and a pair of digs. Junior setter Alex Casais (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) played a key role in facilitating the offense, recording 13 assists, along with a kill. Sophomore Marcus Pardasie (Paramus, N.J./Cresskill) also had an impactful performance, filling the stat sheet with nine digs, five kills, three service aces, and two assists.

The Dolphins (3-9, 2-3 Skyline) were led by James Rose who collected eight kills, three digs, and two service aces. Matthew Barrancos added 16 assists and three kills. Defensively, Carlos Martinez was a standout for the Dolphins, collecting a game-high seven digs.

NJCU's dominance was evident from the very first set. The Gothic Knights started strong with a 19-3 run, leaving UMSV with little room to recover. The Dolphins attempted to respond with a brief 4-1 run to reduce the deficit to 20-7, but NJCU quickly regained control and closed out the set with a 5-1 run, sealing a 25-8 win. De Souza was nearly perfect in the opening set, recording five kills on five attempts and adding a solo block. Casais was instrumental in setting up his teammates, registering seven of his 13 assists in the first set alone.

In the second set, NJCU maintained its momentum, leading 15-9 before a timely kill from senior Nate Aguilar (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) sparked a 10-2 run that propelled the Gothic Knights to a 25-11 victory. Aguilar, who had a quiet first set, found his rhythm in the second, recording all four of his kills in this frame, leading the team in scoring for the set.

The third set provided a bit more resistance from UMSV. The Dolphins managed to keep pace with NJCU's second-unit players and even took their first lead of the match at 8-7. However, a kill from freshman Johan Vaidyan (Piscataway, N.J./Saint Joseph) gave the Gothic Knights a much-needed spark. That kill ignited an 8-3 run that put NJCU back in the lead at 15-11. While the Dolphins fought back with strong service, including two aces by Rose, they couldn't overcome the deficit. Leading 20-15, NJCU closed the match with a 4-0 run fueled by three UMSV errors, ultimately winning the set 25-19 and completing the three-set sweep.

UP NEXT:
The Gothic Knights head to Purchase, N.Y. on Friday, March 7 for a 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.tri-match against Purchase and UMSV.

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.