NEWARK, NJ – Rutgers-Newark junior right side Stephanie Touzan posted a career high 18 kills, but William Paterson clawed back from a 0-2 deficit for a 3-2 New Jersey Athletic Conference win in The Golden Dome Rec Gym.  Set scores were 22-25, 17-25, 25-15, 25-20, 21-19 in the 2-hour and 10 minute marathon.

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

Touzan hit .351 (18 kills, five errors, 37 attacks) while adding an ace and three assisted blocks to lead four Scarlet Raiders in double-digit points, but the Pioneers (11-1, NJAC 2-0) would never quit – even after falling behind 12-10 in the fifth set.

Junior middle blocker Rachel Witt added 12 kills, six of the Raiders' 12 aces, a solo block and three assisted blocks for Rutgers-Newark (1-12, NJAC 0-2) while sophomore outside hitter Ula Nieznalska came up with 11 kills, three aces, three assisted blocks and 10 digs.

Senior outside hitter Toni Moppert chipped in nine kills, an ace and a team-high 13 digs while sophomore setter Jen Mendoza rang up 38 assists, an ace and nine digs.

Senior outside hitters Megan Maher and Kim Runge paced WPU.  Maher notched 13 kills, an ace and 10 digs while Runge tallied 10 kills, an ace, an assisted block and a match-high 16 digs.  Freshman middle blocker Shauna VanDeRee hit .471 with 10 kills and just two errors on 17 swings while setters Liz Dykhouse Danielle Koukos combined for 38 assists.  Dykhouse, who totaled 23 assists, added 14 digs and freshman libero Michelle Guzman worked for 15 digs.

Maher had four kills and an ace in the fifth frame when the Raiders and Pioneers each blew three match points before WPU put an end to the night with a kill by VanDeRee followed by a Rutgers-Newark ball-handling error.

Touzan had 10 kills as the Raiders took the first two frames by hitting .250 (15-6-36) and .344 (16-5-32) in the sets.

Maher and Runge had five kills each as the Pioneers battled back by hitting .250 (7-2-20) in game three and .200 (13-6-35) in game four while the Raiders cooled off.