Box Score CAMDEN, N.J. (Sept. 10, 2015) – When it came time to answer the bell for its New Jersey Athletic Conference opener, the Rutgers University-Camden volleyball team was more than ready.
The Scarlet Raptors came out on fire here Thursday night and went on to sweep previously-undefeated William Paterson University, 25-21, 25-17 and 25-23 in the first NJAC match for both teams.
Rutgers-Camden, which has won two straight matches by 3-0 scores this week, improves to 3-4 overall and 1-0 in the NJAC. William Paterson falls to 4-1 and 0-1.
In the first set, the Scarlet Raptors raced to a quick 11-3 lead and saw their advantage trimmed to 22-18 before closing out the victory. They scored seven of the final eight points in the second set to turn an 18-16 lead into a 25-17 win, setting up the clinching set.
Clinging to one-point leads at 16-15 and 18-17 in the final set, the Scarlet Raptors received clutch kills from sophomore
Cortnee Wilkerson (Los Angeles, CA/West Adams Prep) and senior
Sydney Allen (Magnolia, NJ/Sterling), respectively. Allen's kill gave Rutgers-Camden a 19-17 advantage and the Raptors proceeded to rattle off four straight points behind the serving of senior
Brooke Hassan (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown), aided by a big kill during the run from senior
Kristin Bellamy (Brookhaven, PA/Cardinal O'Hara). After Paterson cut its deficit to 24-23, Rutgers-Camden clinched the match on a kill by Wilkerson.
Bellamy, freshman
Victoria Lake (Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape) and senior
Olivia Rowland (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) had seven kills apiece for the Scarlet Raptors, while Wilkerson added six. Allen and Hassan each had five kills.
Hassan led the team with a match-high 28 assists, while freshman
Kim Bryfogle (Collingswood, NJ/Paul VI) had a match-high four service aces. Hassan leads the team with 143 assists.
Sophomore libero
Erin Thompson (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) collected a match-high 17 digs, raising her team-leading total to 120. Junior defensive specialist
Caitlin Marchlowitz (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) added 10 digs, while Hassan and junior
Melanie Kaiser (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) each notched seven.
Rowland paced the team with two solo blocks and added three assisted blocks, while Bellamy had four assisted blocks and Lake added two.
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Tuesday when it hosts Rowan University in another 7 p.m. NJAC match.
