KINGS POINT, NY – Senior middle blocker Rachel Witt was named the MVP of the Kings Point Invitational after leading Rutgers-Newark to a sweep its three matches in the two-day event.  The Scarlet Raiders are off to their fastest start since 1995.

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY
R-N 3, Farmingdale State 1
R-N 3, New Rochelle 0

Witt averaged 5.62 points and 4.25 kills per set while piling up 51 kills, 10 aces, 22 digs and 10 blocks for the three matches that included a 3-1 win over Farmingdale State and a 3-0 sweep of the College of New Rochelle in Saturday's contests.  She was joined on the all-tournament team by junior setter Jen Mendoza and senior right side Stephanie Touzan.

AGAINST FARMINGDALE STATE, Mendoza fueled a smooth Rutgers-Newark attack with 39 assists in a 22-25, 25-13, 25-19, 25-14 win.  Witt had 19 kills while Touzan hammered down 14 to pace the balanced Rutgers-Newark assault.  Witt and Touzan each notched a pair of service aces.

Junior outside hitter Ula Nieznalska delivered a match-high six aces while adding seven kills and 10 digs for the Raiders while junior outside hitter Paulina Walega came up with a team-high 14 digs and five kills.  Sophomore middle blocker Ogonna Anonyuo put down a career-high five kills on eight swings to hit a team-best .500 (5 kills, 1 error, 8 attacks) while sophomore libero Kandace Lewis made eight digs.

AGAINST NEW ROCHELLE, Witt hit a sizzling .556 with 11 kills and just one error in 18 swings while adding two aces and a solo block.  Mendoza, who notched 27 assists, and Lewis each posted career highs in aces with seven and six, respectively, as the Raiders roped 19 in just three sets.  Lewis added a team high 10 digs.

Touzan added 10 kills and an ace while Nieznalska chipped in six kills, two aces and nine digs.  Walega finished with five kills, an ace and seven digs as the Raiders needed just 52 minutes to post the victory.

In 1995, the Raiders downed William Paterson, 3-2, before getting past Wesleyan, 2-1, Western Connecticut, 2-0, and Wesleyan, 3-1, in the Vassar Invitational to post a 4-0 start.  Preliminary round games in tournaments were routinely the best of three sets.

Rutgers-Newark travels to Ithaca, NY, to compete in the Bomber Invitational next Friday and Saturday with its New Jersey Athletic Conference home opener set for September 13 at 7 p.m. in The Golden Dome against Ramapo.