WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - Rutgers-Newark split a tri-match at Scandlon Gym on Saturday, opening the day with a 3-1 loss to King's (PA) before bouncing back with a 3-0 sweep of Wilson. The Scarlet Raiders move to 6-3 overall on the season.
Against King's, Rutgers-Newark battled throughout the opening match but fell by set scores of 25-19, 26-24, 19-25 and 25-21. The Scarlet Raiders finished with 47 kills and hit .118 as a team.
Jaedyn Simba-Malasarte led the Scarlet Raiders with 12 kills while adding 12 digs. Cyan Long posted 11 kills and 26 digs, while Tracey Ilderis and Bella Foster each recorded eight kills. Ilderis was particularly efficient offensively, hitting .348 with eight kills on 23 attacks without committing an error. Nicole Sullivan directed the offense with 32 assists and added 14 digs.
Rutgers-Newark responded immediately in the second match, sweeping Wilson, 25-12, 25-16 and 25-21. The Scarlet Raiders finished with 29 kills, 10 service aces and eight total blocks in the three-set victory.
Simba-Malasarte paced the offense with 12 kills on 24 attacks, hitting .375, while also collecting 13 digs and a match-high six service aces. Sullivan registered 25 assists and eight digs, while Shayla Moody added six kills on 17 attacks with a .294 hitting percentage. Ilderis contributed three kills, eight digs and three blocks.
The Scarlet Raiders took control early against Wilson after falling behind 3-0 in the opening set. A kill from Simba-Malasarte sparked the comeback before Rutgers-Newark used a 14-0 run late in the set to turn an 11-11 tie into a 24-11 advantage. Simba-Malasarte recorded four aces during the run as the Scarlet Raiders closed out the first set, 25-12.
Rutgers-Newark carried the momentum into the second and third sets, completing the sweep and finishing the day with a 1-1 record.
The Scarlet Raiders return to action next week when they open NJAC play against Rutgers-Camden.
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