Aston, PA – The John Jay College women's volleyball team concluded its Saturday tri-match at Neumann University with a pair of setbacks, falling to Rutgers-Newark in five sets (3-2) before dropping a three-set decision to host Neumann (3-0) at The Mirenda Center.
Match One: Rutgers-Newark 3, John Jay 2
John Jay turned in a strong offensive performance in its opening match, recording 54 kills, 50 assists, 19 service aces and 83 digs but came up just short against Rutgers-Newark in a five-set battle.
Emilia Cascapera paced the Bloodhounds with a match-high 15 kills, six service aces and 18 digs, finishing with 22 points.
Madison Mullan added 10 kills while hitting .240, and
Hailey Waugaman contributed eight kills, five aces and 12 digs.
Setter
Ansley Hobson orchestrated the offense with 40 assists, seven kills, three service aces and 10 digs.
Lizbeth Martinez anchored the defensive effort with a match-high 26 digs, while
Shamyra Herrera delivered an efficient performance at the net, registering seven kills on 11 attempts for a .545 hitting percentage and five block assists.
After dropping the opening set, 25-21, John Jay responded emphatically in the second frame. Trailing 15-14, the Bloodhounds seized control behind a dominant serving stretch from Cascapera, scoring 10 consecutive points to build a 24-15 advantage. Cascapera recorded four aces during the run as John Jay evened the match with a 25-16 victory.
The Bloodhounds carried that momentum into the third set, edging Rutgers-Newark, 25-23, to take a 2-1 advantage in the match. John Jay combined for 28 kills across the second and third sets, hitting .343 and .233, respectively.
Rutgers-Newark answered in the fourth set, overcoming John Jay's resistance to claim a narrow 26-24 victory and force a decisive fifth frame.
In the final set, the Scarlet Raiders established an early 5-0 lead. John Jay battled back, but Rutgers-Newark held on for a 15-11 victory to complete the comeback.
Despite the loss, John Jay held significant statistical advantages in kills (54-29), assists (50-24), digs (83-71) and hitting percentage (.115-.043).
Jaedyn Simba-Malasarte led Rutgers-Newark with nine kills, while Cyan Long recorded 25 digs. Nicole Sullivan distributed 22 assists as the Scarlet Raiders improved to 10-14 overall.
Match Two: Neumann 3, John Jay 0
In the afternoon finale, John Jay battled host Neumann in two tightly contested sets but ultimately fell in straight sets.
Waugaman led the Bloodhounds with eight kills on 20 attempts, hitting .300 while adding a service ace. Cascapera followed with seven kills and a .200 hitting percentage, while Mullan contributed five kills.
Caroline Guerney directed the offense with a team-high 17 assists and added four digs and a service ace. Hobson chipped in seven assists, while Martinez led the defensive effort with eight digs.
The opening set featured a competitive battle as John Jay recorded 14 kills and hit .310. The Bloodhounds remained within striking distance throughout the frame before Neumann secured a narrow 25-23 victory.
Neumann carried its momentum into the second set, hitting an impressive .684 with 13 kills and no attacking errors to claim a 25-12 decision and take a commanding two-set lead.
John Jay refused to go quietly in the third frame. After falling behind 11-10, the Bloodhounds put together a four-point run, highlighted by a Guerney service ace, to move ahead 14-11. The teams continued trading points before John Jay used a late surge to take a 23-21 advantage following an
Audrey Atchley service ace.
Neumann responded to even the score at 23-23, setting up a dramatic finish. The Bloodhounds fought off the Knights' pressure, tying the frame at 24-24, 25-25 and 26-26. However, Neumann captured the final two points to escape with a 28-26 victory and complete the sweep.
Julia Solomon led Neumann with 12 kills on 16 attempts, hitting .625, while Melissa Eddy finished with six kills, two service aces and 11 digs. Emma Kovacs handed out 18 assists as the Knights improved to 11-13 overall.
John Jay finished the match with 33 kills, 28 assists and 26 digs while hitting .165 as a team.
The Bloodhounds return home to the Doghouse for Senior Night on Tuesday, November 3 as they play host to Hunter.
