CAMDEN, N.J. (October 4, 2016) – The Rutgers University-Newark women's volleyball team earned a big New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) win at Rutgers University-Camden Tuesday night. The Scarlet Raiders swept the Scarlet Raptors, 3-0, in a match that could play a major role in the NJAC playoff picture over the next several weeks.
 
With the win, Rutgers-Newark improves to 10-7 overall and 2-2 in the NJAC, while Camden drops to 11-11 overall and 2-3 in the league. The Scarlet Raiders have now won four-straight matches overall and will look to make it five when they visit non-conference foe Lehman College Thursday night in the Bronx.
 
The Scarlet Raiders – who took a 2-0 lead over the Scarlet Raptors before falling 3-2 in 2015 – left no doubt in this one, rolling by set scores of 25-21, 25-22 and 25-20.
 
"We played cohesively as an entire unit tonight," said Head Coach Megan Knott after her team's big win. "Our defense was especially phenomenal. We have been working in practice on better communication between our hitters and blockers and that really showed during tonight's match."

The Scarlet Raiders were balanced all night, getting seven or more kills from four different players. Sophomore Cassie Luken and senior Tabitha Davis each had nine, while junior Morgan Schweitzer and junior Karolina Kopacz each had seven. Kopacz also had 15 assists and 12 digs for a double-double and near triple-double, while Luken added 13 digs and three blocks. Junior Rebecca Ford led the blocking unit with six, while Davis compiled four. Senior Sue Riley notched 13 digs, and Kopacz picked up two aces. Senior Kathy Hormaza was strong as well for the Scarlet Raiders, totaling 11 assists, six digs and an ace.
 
Rutgers-Newark hit .175 overall, pocketing 51 points, 36 kills, nine blocks, six aces, 32 assists and 58 digs.
 
Rutgers-Newark 25, Rutgers-Camden 21
Camden opened an early 7-2 lead and doubled up the Scarlet Raiders 12-6 after 18 points, but the guests rallied with five-straight points to get back within one at 13-12.
 
The two teams traded 5-0 rallies and were tied at 20-all before back-to-back winners from Kopacz and Schweitzer sparked a 5-0 finish for the Scarlet Raiders who took a 1-0 lead.
 
Rutgers-Newark 25, Rutgers-Camden 22
The Scarlet Raptors ripped off 10-of-12 to start the second set, but Rutgers-Newark came back, chipping away behind Hormaza's serve to get within four (12-8). The Raptors would continue lead by a comfortable margin for the next few points (18-14), but Rutgers-Newark battled back with five-straight points, taking the lead on a kill from sophomore Nicole Polak and never giving it back.
 
A Luken winner and Luken ace clinched the 2-0 lead for the Raiders.
 
Rutgers-Newark 25, Rutgers-Camden 20
In the third, it was the Scarlet Raiders taking a 4-0 lead and the Scarlet Raptors coming back to open a 9-8 edge. Later in the set, Schweitzer sparked a 3-0 run to give Rutgers-Newark a 22-18 lead, and after R-C fought within two, Newark slammed the door with three-straight tallies to win the match. Kopacz set Davis, Ford and Davis combined for a block and freshman Brione Lockett ended it with a service ace.