Box Score

NEWARK, NJ – Junior middle blocker Sharee Gordon sparked a fifth-game rally which lifted Rutgers University-Newark to a 3-2 win over St. Joseph's College LI in The Golden Dome.  Game scores were 25-21, 25-21, 22-25, 30-32, 15-12 in the 2-hour battle.
 
With the Scarlet Raiders trailing 8-6 at the fifth-set change over, Gordon came up with back-to-back kills and a solo block to put Rutgers-Newark ahead for good.  After an attack error gave the Raiders a 2-point edge, the Golden Eagles (5-4) sliced the Raider lead to one twice before consecutive attack errors by St. Joseph's gave the home team some breathing room at 13-10.
 
A kill by sophomore right side Tabitha Davis brought Rutgers-Newark to match point at 14-11 with the marathon ending on an attack error by the Eagles.
 
Gordon finished with a dozen kills, three solo blocks and four blocking assists while freshman outside hitter Karolina Kopacz posted team highs of 19 kills and 21.5 points.  Kopacz added 11 digs, an ace and three blocking assists.
 
Freshman middle blocker Amber Borowski hit .333 with a career-high 10 kills while contributing two solo blocks and a blocking assist to help balance the Raider attack.  Freshman setter Nathalie Breining breeched the 40-assist barrier for the third time in as many 5-game matches by distributing 46.  She also roped two aces, got in on a block, dumped in a kill and recorded six digs.
 
Freshman libero Sue Riley came up with 26 digs and handled 35 serves with just one error while sophomore defensive specialist Kathy Hormaza piled up 17 digs.
 
St. Joseph junior middle hitter Heather Ferchland was unstoppable with 27 kills on .404 hitting (27 kills, eight errors, 47 attacks) to pace a balanced Eagles assault.  Senior middle hitter Manuela Palacio hammered down a dozen kills while sophomore outside hitter Erin Kelly added 10 kills, two aces and 11 digs. 
 
Golden Eagle senior setter Julianne Tierney handed out 61 assists, came up with 21 digs and served a pair of aces.  Sophomore defensive specialist Courtney Wickline posted a match-high 31 digs and handled 34 serves without an error.
 
Kopacz totaled eight kills and Gordon added four kills and got in on four blocks as the Raiders jumped out to a 2-0 lead in games, but St. Joseph's battled back.  Ferchland and senior outside hitter Samantha Jacoby had four kills apiece in game three before the visitors dodged four match points in the fourth frame to force a fifth set.
 
In a fourth game that featured a dozen ties and six lead changes, back-to-back kills by freshman outside hitter Samantha Renfree and Kopacz put the Raiders up for the final time at 30-29.  But Kelly wrapped kills around a putaway by Palacio to send the match to the final frame.  Ferchland posted nine kills and an ace in the set while Kopacz notched five for the Raiders.
 
It marked the first time in three tries that the young Rutgers-Newark team was able to win a 5-set decision.  The Raiders fell to Farmingdale State at home and to SUNYIT on the road last week.  It also was the first win by the team which was not a 3-0 sweep.
 
Rutgers-Newark hosts defending New Jersey Athletic Conference Richard Stockton on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in The Golden Dome.