JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The New Jersey City University men's volleyball team opened conference play in dominant fashion, sweeping NJAC rival Ramapo in straight sets (25-15, 25-21, 25-20) on Tuesday, January 27, at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.

The Gothic Knights improved to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in CUNYAC play behind an impressive .328 team hitting percentage, highlighted by a scorching .733 clip in the final set. Ramapo fell to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in NJAC action, managing just a .076 hitting percentage for the match. NJCU controlled much of the stat sheet, holding advantages in points (42-35), kills (33-28), blocks (7-3), assists (32-27), and digs (22-12). The Roadrunners edged the Knights in service aces, 4-2.

Junior Marcus Pardasie (Paramus, N.J./Cresskill) paced NJCU's offense with eight kills on a .467 hitting percentage, while also contributing four digs, three total blocks, and an assist. Junior Victor De Souza (Newark, N.J./Newark East Side) added seven kills while hitting an efficient .700 and chipped in four block assists. Senior setter Alex Casais (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) directed the attack with 27 assists, adding six digs and a block, while sophomore Nas Paige anchored the back row with a team-high six digs.

Ramapo was led by Xavier Fabre, who recorded six kills and three total blocks. Joseph Duca facilitated the offense with 18 assists and added two kills and two digs. Sebastian Rodriguez posted a team-best four digs along with five kills.

NJCU set the tone early, opening the match with an 8-0 run fueled by kills from Pardasie, De Souza, and senior Mike McGehee (Avondale, Ariz./Agua Fria). The Knights pushed their lead into double digits at 13-3 following back-to-back kills by sophomore Matt Peralta (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack). Ramapo responded with a 4-0 run and later trimmed the deficit to 19-13, but NJCU answered with four straight points to regain control and closed out the opening set, 25-15.

The second set saw Ramapo jump out to a 5-1 advantage, but NJCU quickly responded with a decisive 7-0 run to take an 8-5 lead. The Gothic Knights maintained control despite Ramapo closing within one at 14-13. A 6-1 NJCU surge, aided by five Roadrunner errors, extended the lead to 20-14. Although Ramapo capitalized on several NJCU miscues to cut the deficit to 20-18, the Knights regrouped and sealed the set, 25-21, on a kill by Pardasie.

Set three proved to be the most competitive, with the teams locked in a tight battle early. NJCU broke an 11-10 deadlock with a 6-2 run to take a 17-12 lead. Ramapo fought back to within three but could not overcome the Knights' momentum, as NJCU closed out the match with a 25-20 victory.

UP NEXT:
The Gothic Knights return to action on Saturday, January 31, traveling to Hobart College for a 1:00 p.m. non-conference matchup.

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