NEW YORK – Rutgers-Newark junior setter Gabi Mangieri amassed 45 assists to go along with nine aces and 16 digs to lead the Scarlet Raiders to back-to-back 3-0 wins over City Tech and York College in Jamaica, Queens.
Rutgers-Newark 3, City Tech 0
Rutgers-Newark 3, York NY 0
In the opener against City Tech, Mangieri collected 21 assists, seven aces and eight digs as the Scarlet Raiders won 25-22, 25-15, 25-17. York (6-18) fell 25-14, 27-25, 25-19.
Sophomore outside hitter Toni Moppert and junior middle blocker Crystal Navarro added five kills apiece and junior middle blocker Na-Keta Michael chipped in four solo blocks for Rutgers-Newark. Senior libero Val Dauti tied Mangieri for the team lead with eight digs.
In the nightcap, Mangieri notched 24 assists, eight digs and two aces as the Raider (3-25) while Witt and Michael each had seven kills. Witt also added two aces and five digs while Navarro chipped in six kills. Dauti posted a team-high nine digs plus two aces.
Moppert had two kills, two aces and three digs in the crucial second set as Rutgers-Newark rallied from a 17-12 deficit to take command of the contest. Trailing 25-24, the Raiders drew even on a kill by Michael before a York attack error set the stage for a deciding service ace by freshman middle blocker Stephanie Touzan.
Witt, Michael and Navarro had three kills apiece in the third set as Mangieri notched nine assists to help the squad his .209 (12 kills, 6 errors, 29 attacks) for the frame.
Rutgers-Newark closes out its New Jersey Athletic Conference slate in The Golden Dome on Tuesday at 7 p.m. against William Paterson. It will be the first varsity contest hosted on the new wooden floor in the arena.