NEWARK, NJ – Sophomore middle blocker
Rachel Witt and freshman outside hitter
Ula Nieznalska registered 19 points apiece for Rutgers-Newark, but Ramapo survived an upset bid, 3-2, in The Golden Dome.
BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY
In the New Jersey Athletic Conference opener for each squad, the Roadrunners (4-0, NJAC 1-0) had to rally from a 7-4 hole in the fifth game to salvage the victory against the young Scarlet Raiders (2-7, NJAC 0-1). Game scores were 23-25, 26-24, 25-17, 20-25, 15-10.
Witt hammered down 16 kills to go along with two solo blocks and two assisted blocks while Nieznalska delivered a career-high nine aces while adding 10 kills.
Junior outside hitter
Toni Moppert had 16 kills plus a career-high 26 digs as Rutgers-Newark came up with 87 digs to help negate the strong Roadrunner attack. Senior libero
Rose Anna Beljour made 21 digs and freshman setter
Jen Mendoza notched a dozen digs while contributing 39 assists.
Junior middle blocker Maura Burke had a match-high 17 kills for the Roadrunners.
Ramapo got 14 kills, two aces and 18 digs from junior outside hitter Michelle Ferrari and 11 kills, 16 digs and an ace from senior outside hitter Meagan Taege. Junior setter Tiffany Fischer collected 36 assists while sophomore Sara Johnson had a team-high 19 digs.
Witt had four kills during the Raiders' 7-4 start in the deciding fifth game, but Ramapo took advantage of three Rutgers-Newark service errors to escape with a win. Burke sandwiched kills around a kill by Raider senior
Crystal Navarro to end the marathon.
The Raiders rallied for a game one win from a 21-16 hole before the Roadrunners climbed out of a 22-16 hole in the second frame to level the match.
Taege had five kills as Ramapo won the third game easily, but Rutgers-Newark rallied in game four behind six kills by Moppert the force the final frame.
Rutgers-Newark hosts Purchase College and York NY on Saturday in The Golden Dome in a twinbill. The Raiders play Purchase at 1 p.m. before facing the Cardinals of York at 3 in the non-conference contests.
