JAMAICA, N.Y. — The Rutgers-Newark women's volleyball team continued its strong start to the 2026 season Wednesday night, sweeping York College, 3-0 (25-8, 25-11, 25-14), at the York College Gymnasium.
The Scarlet Raiders improved to 5-2 on the season in a victory where they controlled all three sets from start to finish. Rutgers-Newark finished the match with 35 kills, 14 service aces and a .257 hitting percentage.
Rutgers-Newark opened the match by jumping out to an early 4-0 lead before York answered with three straight points. The Scarlet Raiders quickly regained control, using a 5-0-0 run to turn an 8-7 set into an 13-7 advantage. Rutgers-Newark closed out the opening frame with seven consecutive points, including three straight service aces from Nicole Sullivan, to take the set, 25-8.
Jaedyn Simba-Malasarte led the early attack, recording five kills in the opening set, while Shayla Moody added three kills. Sullivan helped ignite the late run with three consecutive service aces to close out the frame.
The Scarlet Raiders carried the momentum into the second set, scoring the first four points and opening up a 10-1 advantage. Rutgers-Newark continued to apply pressure throughout the set, extending its lead to 19-6 before finishing off another dominant 25-11 frame. Cyan Long led the way with five kills in the set, while Tracey Ilderis added three.
The last set was more of the same as the Scarlet Raiders with seven straight points took an early 8-3. York later trimmed the deficit to 12-9, but Rutgers-Newark answered with another strong run, scoring seven of the next eight points to take a 20-11 lead. The Scarlet Raiders finished the match by scoring five of the final six points for the 25-14 victory.
Simba-Malasarte finished with a team-high 10 kills while hitting .350, adding seven digs and two assists. Long posted eight kills on a .333 hitting percentage and contributed seven digs, while Shania Oigbokie recorded six kills while hitting .500.
The Scarlet Raiders return to action this weekend as they travel to Wilkes Barre for a tri-match with King's College and Wilson College.
For the latest news, updates, and information on Rutgers-Newark Athletics, visit rutgersnewarkathletics.com. Fans can also stay up to date by following the Scarlet Raiders on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
