GLASSBORO, N.J. (Sept. 20, 2023) – The Rutgers University-Camden volleyball team not only had to open its New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule on the road here Tuesday, but they had to face a team that was the NJAC's pre-season favorite and one it hadn't defeated in 11 years.
 
The Scarlet Raptors, however, proved that they also are a force to contend with in the NJAC as they outlasted Rowan University in five sets, 26-24, 25-16, 21-25, 16-25 and 15-8.
 
Rutgers-Camden, which hadn't defeated Rowan since November 3, 2012, in the NJAC semifinals, evened its season record at 5-5, while winning its NJAC opener. Rowan, which received six of the 10 first-place votes in the pre-season NJAC coaches' poll, fell to 2-8 overall and 0-1 in the conference.
 
Leading, 10-8, in the decisive fifth set, the Scarlet Raptors rattled off the last five points with sophomore Bella Craig serving. The first four of those points came on alternating kills from senior Dyamond Free and junior Kaitlyn Parrish, while Craig closed out the match with a service ace.
 
The Raptors won the first match, 26-24, when the fourth kill of the set by Choice clinched the victory. They took a quick 2-0 lead in the second set and were never caught on the way to their 25-16 win. Up by two sets, however, Rutgers-Camden watched Rowan rally to tie the match before the Scarlet Raptors won the final set.
 
Free finished with 13 kills, while seniors Isabella Choice and Erica Nebrich both had 10 kills for the Raptors. Nebrich added 19 digs for a double-double, while Craig had 16 digs and both Parrish and freshman JoAnna Andrews added 10 each.
 
Andrews also had a double-double by compiling a team-high 28 assists. Freshman Sofia Granieri added 12 assists.
 
Choice had a huge match at the net with seven assisted blocks, while Parrish added five assisted blocks.
 
Rowan received double-doubles from sophomore Jena Kaul, who had 19 kills and 13 digs, and junior Brooke Adams, who notched 41 assists and 14 digs.
 
Rutgers-Camden plays a tri-match at Washington College Saturday, facing the host team at 12 p.m. and Trinity Washington University at 2 p.m.