New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score NEW PALTZ, NY (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In the 2014 regular season finale for New Jersey City University, No. 2 ranked SUNY New Paltz demonstrated why it will be a legitimate national championship contender later this month. The Hawks, ranked as high as No. 1 in the country earlier this year hit an incredible .606 as a team with a 50-19 margin in kills, and defeated NJCU, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-15) on April 9 at the Hawk Center. The .606 attack percentage was the highest on record by a Gothic Knight opponent in the 25-year history of the program.
 New Paltz, ranked No. 2 in Division III in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 15 Coaches' Poll, won its sixth straight match and improved to 24-3 on the year. The Hawks have been ranked No. 1 three times this season, including as recently as March 4 and have never been lower than fourth this year. NJCU, which yesterday clinched the No. 4 seed in the four-team Skyline Conference Tournament, finished the regular season at 12-17 after opening the year at 0-8.
 
New Paltz had 50 kills and only seven errors in 71 attempts and was consistent throughout the match with 16, 17 and 17 kills, respectively in the three periods. NP hit .583 in game one (16-2-24), .636 in set two (17-3-22) and an even .600 in the final game (17-2-25).
 
NJCU didn't perform poorly, posting a .167 attack percentage (19-10-54), but couldn't match the vast height differential.
 
In defeat, reigning Skyline Player of the Week BILL LE (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) led NJCU with six kills and hit .235 (6-2-17). Senior setter and captain GARY PRESTON, JR. (North East MD/Rising Sun (MD)) dished 16 assists. Sophomore opposite KENDALL TRIBBETT (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) posted a .444 percentage with four winners (4-0-9). Sophomore RAYMEL CASTRO (Newark, NJ/Barringer) landed two service aces.
 
One of New Paltz' smaller players, 6-foot-1 senior outside hitter Brian Smith was the most effective, hitting .750 with a match-high 10 kills and one error in 12 swings while adding two aces. Senior 6-foot-6 middle blocker Brian O'Connor hit .643, also notching 10 kills (10-1-14) with three blocks. Fellow 6-foot-6 senior middle Dylan Rabidoux planted seven kills while hitting .583 (7-0-12) with two blocks.
 

HIGHEST KNOWN OPPOSING TEAM HITTING PERCENTAGES (.500 or higher)
PCT.	SCHOOL	DATE	KILLS	ERRORS	ATTEMPTS	RESULT
.606	at #2 SUNY New Paltz	4/9/2014	50	7	71	L, 0-3
.595	vs. #14 MIT	3/16/2013	50	6	74	L, 0-3
.578	#6 SUNY New Paltz	4/2/2013	44	7	64	L, 0-3
.509	at CCNY	3/15/2003	76	18	114	L, 2-3
.508	at NJIT	1/31/2012	36	5	61	L, 0-3
.507	#10 Lehman	3/4/2002	49	15	67	L, 0-3
* Based on full box scores; consistent computerized statistics for men's volleyball began being tracked in 2001

New Paltz' two setters were outstanding. Sophomore 6-foot-5 setter Christian Smith delivered 25 assists in 32 sets—a mind-boggling .781 success rate—while landing four aces and hitting .600 with three winners (3-0-5). Junior 6-foot-4 setter John Lutjen had 19 assists in 29 attempts—a .655 percentage—and collected four kills in five tries (.800).
 
In all, 10 different Hawks had multiple kills and six tallied at least four winners with no player hitting lower than .333.
 
NJCU led just three times in the match—all early in the second set. NP was never tied in game one, opening leads of 6-0, 8-1 and 14-4. In game two, the hosts broke open a close game (14-11) with four straight points and a 6-1 run. Leading 9-6 in the third set, the Hawks used a 7-2 spurt to gain a 16-8 edge before pulling away.
 
NJCU will face #12 ranked Kean University, the two-time defending Skyline champions and three-time regular season titlists on Saturday, April 12 at 1 p.m. in the Skyline semifinals at Kean's Harwood Arena.