WAYNE, NJ – Four Scarlet Raiders notched double-digit kills, but Rutgers-Newark fell in five sets at William Paterson in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match in the WPU Rec Center. 

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY 

The Raiders (4-9, NJAC 0-3) suffered their third straight five-set loss in conference play, this time falling to the Pioneers (10-1, NJAC 2-0), 23-25, 25-20, 25-18, 16-25, 15-8. Kean and William Paterson each edged Rutgers-Newark in five.

Freshman outside hitter Ula Nieznalska posted a career-high 14 kills, three aces and 15 digs to pace the Raiders. Sophomore middle blocker Rachel Witt added a dozen kills and three aces while rookie setter Jen Mendoza piled up a career-high 44 assists. 

Junior outside hitter Toni Moppert and sophomore right side Stephanie Touzan notched 11 kills apiece. Moppert tied Nieznalska for team honors with 15 digs and added an ace. Senior middle blocker Crystal Navarro had three kills on just six swings while chipping in two aces and three blocking assists. 

WPU's Megan Maher hammered down a match-high 18 kills and added 11 digs while Kim Runge rang up 15 kills and a match-high 18 digs to go along with a pair of aces. Michelle Leeder added 11 kills, two aces and 16 digs. 

Nieznalska had five kills with no errors on seven swings and posted two aces in the opening game as the Raiders took an early lead. The team hit .303 (13 kills, 3 errors, 33 attacks) in the frame. Tied at 23-23, Navarro served an ace ahead of a game-ending kill by Touzan. 

But William Paterson rallied with wins in games two and three as Runge totaled eight kills in the two frames. 

Witt had four kills in the fourth game as the Raiders leveled the match. 

The Pioneers posted seven kills on 12 attacks with no errors (.583 hitting) to power past the Raiders in the deciding game. 

Rutgers-Newark hosts Richard Stockton in another NJAC battle on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in The Golden Dome.