CAMDEN, NJ - The Rutgers University-Camden volleyball team battled New Jersey Athletic Conference rival Rowan University Tuesday night at the Rutgers-Camden Gymnasium, but the Profs came away with a 3-0 victory. After Rowan captured the opening set, 25-13, the Scarlet Raptors pushed the Profs to the limit in the final two frames before falling, 28-26 and 28-26. The loss dropped Rutgers-Camden to 10-8 overall and 1-3 in the NJAC, while Rowan improved to 15-2 and 3-0.
Junior setter JoAnna Andrews added another milestone to her Rutgers-Camden career by recording her 1,500th career assist in the third set. Andrews finished the match with 13 assists, now ranking her third all-time in school history.
Sophomore Gabby Gbolahan led the Scarlet Raptor attack with nine kills while hitting a team-leading .421. Nissi Wadieh added seven kills and hit .333, while Asha Pensa Johnson collected six kills. Ella Carmen Truitt finished with five kills. Wadieh also collected three blocks.
Rutgers-Camden's Mia Owens and Cassie Guim each recorded 13 digs, while Lora Kunicki added 11. Guim also collected three service aces, with Gbolahan adding two. Andrews contributed seven digs. Owens was honored before the match for eclipsing 1,500 career digs in a tri-match at Alvernia over the weekend.
After struggling offensively in the opening set, Rutgers-Camden found its rhythm in the second frame. The Scarlet Raptors hit .275 with 18 kills and battled back from an early five-point deficit. Rutgers-Camden eventually took a 24-20 lead, but Rowan fought back from four set points and pulled ahead, 25-24. The Scarlet Raptors answered to tie the set three times down the stretch, including at 26-26, before Rowan scored the final two points for a 28-26 win.
The Scarlet Raptors again went toe-to-toe with the Profs in the third set. Rutgers-Camden overcame a 15-14 deficit with a four-point run to take an 18-15 lead and later held a 21-17 advantage. Rowan responded with six straight points to take a 23-21 lead, but Rutgers-Camden answered with three consecutive points to regain a 24-23 advantage. After the teams traded points during a tense finish, Rowan scored the final two points to escape with another 28-26 victory.
