NEWARK, NJ – Freshman outside hitter Adrianna Pagnotta and sophomore middle blocker Sharee Gordon notched seven points apiece to lead Rutgers-Newark, but Montclair State posted a 3-1 New Jersey Athletic Conference win in The Golden Dome. Game scores were 25-13, 25-9, 23-25, 25-10.

The Scarlet Raiders (7-15, NJAC 0-7) were knocked out of the running for one of six NJAC Championship Tournament berths while the Red Hawks (14-8, NJAC 5-3) guaranteed themselves a home match in the first round of the playoff which begins on November 5.

Pagnotta and outside hitter Veronica Chau led the Raiders with six kills apiece with Chau adding 11 digs and Pagnotta, 10. Pagnotta had the Raiders' only service ace. Gordon finished with five kills and two solo blocks while freshman middle hitter Maddie Moore contributed four kills.

Freshman middle hitter Christina Maglione had three kills and a blocking assist while rookie setters Emilie Pulecio and Kathy Hormaza combined for 21 assists. Senior libero Paulina Walega came up with match-high 21 digs.

Freshman outside hitter Melissa Terpstra hammered down a match high 15 kills and totaled 17.5 points to lead a deep and talented Montclair State team. Junior setter Angela Campo fueled the Red Hawk attack with 30 assists as MSU used 16 players in the match.

Terpstra had eight kills during the opening two games when MSU established command of the night, but Rutgers-Newark battled back in the third frame.

Pagnotta and Moore had three kills apiece as the Raiders climbed out of an 11-6 hole to take the third game. A kill by Moore brought Rutgers-Newark to set point at 24-22 before an MSU service error ended the frame.

Terpstra nailed six kills on just 11 swings with no errors and delivered an ace as the Red Hawks powered their way through the fourth game by hitting .346 (11 kills, two errors, 26 attacks).

Rutgers-Newark is at Bard College on Saturday at noon for a non-conference match before returning to The Golden Dome on Tuesday for Senior Night. The Raiders host Rutgers-Camden in the 7 p.m. NJAC contest with seniors Walega and Beatrice Loiseau being honored during in a pre-match ceremony. It will be the final contest of the season for Rutgers-Newark.