NEWARK, NJ | The Rutgers-Newark women's volleyball successfully defended the dome in its home opener on Tuesday night against Mount Saint Mary College, 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-22).
Rutgers-Newark (3-5) hit a robust .202 as a team with 34 kills while holding Mt. St. Mary (0-8) to 17 kills and a .014 hit percentage. Tracey Ilderis led the Scarlet Raiders on the offensive side with 12 kills, while Jaedyn Simba-Malasarte paced the team with 12 digs and five service aces. At the net, Ilderis and Bella Foster collected two block assists each.
The Scarlet Raiders set the tone early with a dominant 9-3 start, taking control from the outset. During that run, Simba-Malasarte showcased her serving skills, notching two service aces, while Ilderis led the attack with three kills. Rutgers-Newark extended their lead on the first set with a 10-2 run, sparked by a well-timed kill from Maryann Ijeh. Ijeh continued to shine throughout the set, sealing it with a perfectly placed kill off an assist from Angelyse Orellana, who orchestrated the offense with a game-high 21 assists.
Carrying that momentum into the second set, the Scarlet Raiders once again jumped out to an early lead, this time 9-4. Although Mt. St. Mary momentarily closed the gap with three consecutive points, Rutgers-Newark quickly responded. Foster sparked an 11-1 run, extending their lead to 20-8, and stifling any hope of a Knights comeback.
The third set saw a more competitive battle, with both teams trading points. The Scarlet Raiders broke through with a key 3-0 run, capped off by a clutch service ace from Nicole Sullivan. Despite a late surge from Mt. St. Mary, who took a narrow 22-21 lead behind a 4-1 run, Rutgers-Newark remained composed. They regained control and finished the match with three straight kills.
Up Next
Rutgers-Newark returns to action on Saturday, September 14, at 11:00 am, for a tri-match at Swarthmore.
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