UNION, N.J. | Comfort Akinbo paced all players with 13 kills as the Scarlet Raiders fell in straight sets (25-15, 25-13, 25-17) to the third-seeded Cougars of Kean University tonight in the opening round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament. 

As a team, Rutgers University-Newark (17-11) hit .009 with a game-high of .056 which came in the final set. Kean University (26-8) hit .252 as a squad and tallied double-digit kills in each set. 

In the opening set, the Scarlet Raiders trailed by just one after an attacking error by Kean gave them a point. The Cougars answered with a 9-1 run to give them a 23-14 lead. Zoe Strozewski closed out the set with a kill to give them a 1-0 lead in the match.

Kean used an early 8-0 run to take a large lead and take control of the second set. The Scarlet Raiders tried to cut into the lead, however, the Cougars continued to string together runs to keep Rutgers University-Newark at bay. Karly Gregoire and Akinbo attempted to give the Scarlet Raiders a push at the end but were stonewalled by the Cougars.

The Scarlet Raiders struggled to find open space against Kean University as the Cougars tallied 23 total blocks in the match. 

Rutgers University-Newark looked to have found their groove in the third set as they found kinks in the Cougars' defense to take an early 7-3 lead. Their lead wouldn't last long as the Cougars went on a 7-0 run to take the lead for good and cruise to the win to advance in the NJAC Championship Tournament. 

Analis Capobianco led the Scarlet Raiders with 11 digs while Alexa Rivera and Brione Lockett each secured 10. Gregoire finished the match with 20 assists while Rivera picked up a pair of service aces.

The Scarlet Raiders will wait and see if they will partake in the ECAC Tournament next week.