MSOE men's volleyball overpowers NJCU in three sets
| Published: 03/02/2011 |
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Story courtesy of Ira Thor, NJCU/NECVA SID
JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In the first-ever meeting between New Jersey City University and long-time national power Milwaukee School of Engineering, the Raiders used their considerable size advantage to land 40 kills and 12.0 blocks as MSOE overpowered NJCU, 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-20) in a non-conference match on Tuesday night on "Coach Charlie Brown Court" at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.
MSOE, whose schedule consists of Division I, II and high-level Division III schools most of the year, improves to 6-10 while NJCU loses its third straight (7-11). MSOE received seven points in the March 1 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Top 15 poll but for the first time in four years is not ranked among the Top 15 nationally. The Raiders hit .253 overall (40-16-95) while limiting NJCU to a .042 attack percentage (26-22-96).
MSOE was powered by senior 6-foot-4 middle blocker Chris Reininger (St. Louis, MO), who hit at a stellar .750 clip with 12 kills and no errors in 16 swings. He added three blocks. Senior outside hitter Mitch Paulus (Fredonia, WI) collected 10 kills and a .389 percentage (10-3-18), adding 11 digs and five blocks for a double-double.
In two sets, freshman setter Matt Morrone (Worth, IL) had 23 assists and a .500 setting percentage, adding two blocks. Freshman setter Josh Avery (Bolinbrook, IL) tacked on 11 assists, five digs and two blocks in one set played.
Also for the Raiders, junior 6-foot-6 opposite Max Martin (Schaumburg, IL) had six kills, three aces and two blocks and sophomore 6-foot-4 middle blocker Jack Geary (Milwaukee, WI) finished with a .667 attack rate, four kills (4-0-6) and five blocks in two sets of action.
In defeat for NJCU, senior libero CHRIS EDRA (Edison, NJ/J.P. Stevens) defended a match-best 11 digs and had a .962 reception percentage in 26 chances. He improved his career digs total to 1,046-now just 88 shy of matching the all-time program record of 1,134.
Junior outside hitter KENNY LISK (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) totaled nine kills while sophomore outside hitter MICHAL KUCZA (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) had a near double-double with 10 digs and eight kills. Senior setter JORGE RODRIGUEZ (Havana, Cuba/Memorial) delivered 24 assists.
In a competitive first set there were nine ties and four lead changes. MSOE had 13 kills, led by Paulus with a .571 clip and four kills and sophomore 6-foot-5 middle blocker David Johnson (Glenview, IL) with three winners in three swings and three blocks.
Trailing 12-9, NJCU battled back to tie the match at 13-13 after consecutive aces by freshman opposite RICH BOYLE (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) before a kill by Lisk gave the Gothic Knights a 
15-13 margin at the end of a 6-1 streak. An ace by Martin tied it and NJCU committed three straight attack errors, including a combo block by Avery and Reininger that put MSOE up 18-16. The Raiders had half of their 12 blocks in the set, including assisted blocks by Paulus/Reininger for 19-17 and Paulus/Johnson for 21-19. But NJCU managed to stay close and trailing 23-21 had a chance to pull within one late after a long rally. But an ill-advised over ball by the Knights was the turning point and Reininger capitalized with a kill for a 24-21 lead, before winning the closest of the three sets, 25-22.
In set two, the Raiders hit .429 and landed 13 kills-led by Reininger with six kills in seven attempts and an .857 percentage. NJCU led 10-7 after a Boyle kill before MSOE bounced back to knot it at 10-10 and uncorked an 8-1 run to claim a 15-11 lead, eventually taking the set by seven, 25-18.
In the final set, there were five ties and three lead changes but MSOE still tallied 14 kills. Lisk had six kills and hit .308 in the set to try to extend the match. Reininger and Paulus each added four kills in the frame and Geary added three (3-0-4, .750). MSOE led early and held a 13-11 lead before NJCU fought back to tie it at 13-13 on a Lisk winner and moved in front, 14-13, after a visitor error. But Martin re-entered the match and his jump serve helped the Raiders regain a 17-14 advantage. NJCU clawed back and tied it at 17-17 on a shot by Kucza, and 18-18 on an MSOE service error. But an NJCU service error, a kill by Paulus and a block by Geary and Morrone gave MSOE a 21-18 cushion. Geary and Paulus combined for another block on match points, 25-20.
MSOE concludes a weeklong, six-match trip to the New York area with a contest on Wednesday, March 2 at City College of New York at 6 p.m.
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