NEW JERSEY CITY, N.J. (Oct. 15, 2024) – The Rutgers University-Camden and New Jersey City University volleyball teams went the distance here Tuesday in their New Jersey Athletic Conference match.
 
In the end, the Scarlet Raptors suffered a heartbreaking five-set loss as NJCU roared back from a 7-3 fifth-set deficit to win the deciding set, 15-11.
 
NJCU won the match, 25-19, 20-25, 14-25, 25-22 and 15-11 to even its record at 10-10 overall and 2-2 in the NJAC. Rutgers-Camden fell to 5-15 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
 
In the opening set, the teams were deadlocked at 18-18 before NJCU went on a five-point run and scored seven of the final eight points. The Gothic Knights' final run included two kills by senior outside hitter Brenda Gonzalez. Rutgers-Camden received six kills in the set from sophomore outside hitter Sofia Granieri, while junior setter Avery Ang notched seven assists and junior defensive specialist Sophia LaPorta had six digs. Freshman middle blocker Gabby Gbolahan added five digs in the set.
 
In the second set, the Scarlet Raptors bounced back from a 14-9 deficit, finally tying the game at 15-15 on a kill by Granieri, assisted by sophomore libero Mia Owens. Kills by Granieri and Gbolahan put the Raptors ahead, 17-15, before the Gothic Knights fought back to tie the game at 17-17. Rutgers-Camden took the lead for good at 18-17 when a kill by sophomore middle hitter Mia Francis started a four-point run. The Raptors closed out the last two points on a kill by senior middle hitter Kaitlyn Parrish and a bad Gothic Knight set.
 
The Scarlet Raptors broke a 9-9 tie in the third set with a four-point run, started by a NJCU service error and followed by two straight kills by Parrish, assisted by Ang. Gbolahan added a service ace for the last point of the run. The Raptors opened up leads of 18-10 and 20-14 before closing out the win with five straight points, including two NJCU attack errors, kills by junior middle blocker Jessica Wiemer and Granieri, and a set-clinching ace by Owens.
 
The fourth set was tied at 20-20 before a Raptor attack error and a pair of kills put NJCU ahead to stay. The Gothic Knights wrapped up a 25-22 win on a kill by junior right side Kiki Lugo.
 
The fifth set started well for the Scarlet Raptors, who raced to a 7-3 lead. The Gothic Knights followed with the next 10 points and closed out the match with a kill by junior outside hitter/libero Marina Millett.
 
Granieri finished with a double-double for the Raptors, collecting 14 kills and 13 digs. Gbolahan also had a double-double with 13 kills and 10 digs, while hitting .462 and adding five blocks, including one solo and four assisted.
 
Parrish, Francis and Wiemer notched eight, six and five kills, respectively.
 
Ang finished with 22 assists and sophomore setter JoAnna Andrews had 20 assists and a team-high three aces. Owens led the Raptors with 18 digs and LaPorta added nine digs.
 
NJCU received a double-double of 19 kills and 18 digs from Gonzalez and 44 assists from freshman setter Keyanni Overstreet.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Saturday when it hosts a tri-match featuring Delaware Valley University and Hunter College. The Scarlet Raptors play Delaware Valley at 11 a.m. and Hunter at 3 p.m. Hunter and Delaware Valley are scheduled to play a match at 1 p.m.