NEWARK, N.J. (October 11, 2018) – The Rutgers-University women's volleyball team won its second straight New Jersey Athletic Conference match, sweeping visiting New Jersey City University by set scores of 25-20, 25-15, 25-22 in The Golden Dome tonight.

In the process, the Scarlet Raiders booked a spot in the NJAC Tournament after a one year hiatus while improving to 14-7 (4-2 NJAC). The Gothic Knights fall to 7-14 (0-6 NJAC).

R-N was led by senior Cassie Luken who recorded a double-double with a match-high 12 kills in addition to 11 digs. Rookie Sharon Starling joined her in double-digits on the offensive end with 11 winners while junior Brione Lockett racked up a team-best 16 digs. Sophomore Karly Gregoire orchestrated the offense with 24 assists and four different players had two aces.

The Scarlet Raiders return to action on Tuesday when they head to NJAC foe Montclair State for a 7 p.m. match before concluding the regular season with five straight contests in the friendly confines of The Golden Dome.

Rutgers-Newark 25, NJCU 20
In the first set, the Raiders jumped out to a 7-2 advantage behind kills from three different players, including a pair from Luken. Still, the Gothic Knights rallied to win six of the next seven tallies to tie the game at 8-8.

That would be the last even score of the period, however, as Newark won three points in a row on two Luken spikes and an ace to build a lead that the hosts would not concede.

NJCU drew within 13-12 but five consecutive scores, capped by a pair of Starling aces, built an insurmountable edge.

The Scarlet Raiders maintained that advantage and took the set 25-19 behind a .300 attacking percentage that featured 12 kills to just three errors.

Rutgers-Newark 25, NJCU 15
The home team carried its first stanza momentum into the second, opening up the period with an 11-2 surge. Aces by Analis Capobianco and Gregoire plus another pair of spikes from Luken featured in the run.

The closest the visitors would get from there would be 13-6 as the Raiders built their lead to nine at 16-7 and would not let NJCU draw any nearer as they cruised to a 25-15 victory and 2-0 edge for the match.

Rutgers-Newark 25, NJCU 22
The two sides were knotted at 2-2 early in the stanza but R-N took a lead that would grow to 15-8 before long. Three kills by Starling featured heavily in the early surge.

Still, the Gothic Knights rallied, winning five consecutive points to close within two of the hosts capped by a winner from Karina Rosado.

The visitors remained within two until four straight tallies, including two Starling spikes, by the Raiders opened up a 22-16 lead.

However, NJCU would not go down without a fight. The Gothic Knights struck right back with four consecutive points to make it 22-20 before finally falling 25-22 as Rutgers-Newark earned the sweep.