NEWARK, N.J. (October 18, 2018) – The Rutgers University-Newark women's volleyball team rebounded tonight with a non-conference victory over visiting Lehman College in The Golden Dome, 3-1 (25-15, 25-10, 21-25, 25-21). The Scarlet Raiders improve to 15-8 while the Lightning drop to 4-16 on the season.

Senior Cassie Luken led R-N with a double-double of 15 kills and 11 digs. Junior Comfort Akinbo joined her in double-figure winners with 14. Classmate Brione Lockett contributed a match-high 22 digs while sophomore Karly Gregoire orchestrated the offense with 36 assists.

The Raiders return to action on Saturday when they host a tri-match with John Jay and FDU-Florham beginning at 11 a.m.

Rutgers-Newark 25, Lehman 15
Following two early ties and lead changes, the Raiders began to pull away.  The hosts broke a 4-4 deadlock by winning five of the next six points, including a kill by rookie Meredith Moore and ace from sophomore Dahlia Shoukry.

The Lightning were able to draw within 13-11, but R-N would let them no closer. The Scarlet Raiders closed out the period on a 12-4 surge to take the set 25-15 and a 1-0 lead for the match. That stretch featured a trio of kills from Luken and a pair of winners by Akinbo.

Newark had a .286 attacking average with eight kills to just two errors while holding Lehman to a -.043 attacking percentage.

Rutgers-Newark 25, Lehman 10
The Raiders carried their first set momentum into the second, racing out to a 10-3 lead with kills from four different players including freshmen Julia Farkas and Eliana Rivera as well as a pair of aces from classmate Neci Lac.

Up 15-9, Rutgers-Newark went on a devastating run, winning seven consecutive points to put the stanza out of reach. Luken had three spikes and junior Analis Capobianco added two aces as the Scarlet Raiders took a 22-9 lead before polishing off a 25-10 victory to take a dominant 2-0 advantage.   
           
The Raiders had an even better attacking set, racking up 14 kills and a .333 attacking percentage.

Lehman 25, Rutgers-Newark 21
Leading by a slim 6-5 margin early in the third, R-N extended its advantage with three consecutive tallies on a kill and two aces from Luken. Still, the Lightning fought back to take the next eight points and build their largest lead of the match, to that point, of 13-9.

The Raiders were able get within three on multiple occasions, including at 24-21, but would get no closer as the visitors rallied to take the game 25-21 and cut the deficit to 2-1 for the match.

Rutgers-Newark 25, Lehman 21
Despite an early 5-1 edge for the hosts, Lehman rallied and there were four ties and four lead changes before the Scarlet Raiders began to create some separation.

Newark turned a 9-9 deadlock into a 14-10 lead behind an incredible three straight kills from Shoukry to cap the surge. The home side extended that edge to 16-11 on another Shoukry spike and a Capobianco ace to force the visitors into a timeout.

While the Lightning were able to draw within two points at 23-21, they would get no closer as a kill by Luken and ace from Shoukry capped a 25-21 win and 3-1 victory for the match.