Box Score NEWARK, NJ – The Rowan University women's volleyball team won over Rutgers-Newark, 3-2 on Tuesday night in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) match.
 
The set scores were 25-22, 28-26, 17-25, 22-25 and 15-10. The Profs have an overall mark of 8-12 and they are 3-2 in the NJAC. The Scarlet Raptors' record is 11-6 and they are 2-3 in the conference.
 
Middle hitter Morgan Mende (jr. Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) led Rowan with 20 kills and a hitting percentage of .364. Outside hitter Danielle Havlicek (jr. Midland Park, NJ/Midland Park), setter Mary-Grace Testa (fr. Kearny, NJ/Mount Saint Dominic Academy) and outside hitter Erica O'Hagan (so. Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) each recorded 11 kills. Testa also had 30 assists and 15 digs. O'Hagan collected 16 digs and Havlicek had 12. Setter Rebecca Dantonio (so. Glen Mills, PA/Garnet Valley) tallied 23 assists and 10 digs. Libero Jennifer Vorel (so. Madison, NJ/Madison) had 22 digs and middle hitter/outside hitter Maggie Catherina (jr. Ridgefield, NJ/Ridgefield Mem.) had eight kills and four blocks.
 
Outside hitters Karolina Kopacz (fr. Rutherford, NJ/Rutherford) and Samantha Renfree (fr. Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) accumulated nine kills apiece for Rutgers-Newark. Kopacz also had 10 digs. Middle blocker Sharee Gordon (jr. Newark, NJ/University) added eight kills. Setter Nathalie Breining (fr. Colonia, NJ/Colonia) had 31 assists and 16 digs. Libero Sue Riley (fr. Rahway, NJ/Roselle Catholic) tallied 28 digs, while defensive specialist/libero Kathy Hormaza (so. Morristown, NJ/Morristown) had 15.
 
The first set was tied at four, the Rutgers-Newark scored the next four points, including a kill and a service ace by Kopacz for an 8-4 lead. The Profs tied the score at nine on a kill by Havlicek. The set was then knotted six more times. The score was even at 17, when the Scarlet Raptors reeled off three consecutive points for a 20-17 advantage. The Profs responded with five straight points with kills from Mende and O'Hagan, two service aces by Havlicek and a Rutgers-Newark error for a 22-20 lead. Rowan tallied three of the final five points to take the set.
 
Rutgers-Newark jumped out to a 9-5 lead in the second set. The Scarlet Raptors continued to stay in front and had a 16-12 advantage. The Profs then used a 6-0 run to go ahead 18-16. Mende recorded three kills during the spurt. Rowan led 19-17, but four straight points gave Rutgers-Newark the lead back 21-19. The Scarlet-Raptors held a 24-20 advantage and Rowan tallied four straight points to tie the set. Mende and O'Hagan each had a kill during the run. The score was then tied at 25 and 26. Rowan scored the final two points, including a service ace by O'Hagan to end it.
 
Rowan took a 6-3 lead on a kill by Catherina in the third set. The Profs held the advantage and the score was 10-6. The set was tied at 15, but Rutgers-Newark went on a 10-2 run to win the set.
 
The score was tied at 12 in set four, then the Scarlet Raptors scored five of the next seven points, which included a kill and two service aces by Kopacz for a 17-14 lead. Rowan responded with five consecutive points to go ahead 19-17. The score was then tied at 19, 20 and 21, but Rutgers-Newark recorded four of the final points to win the set.
 
Rowan scored the first five points of the final set, capped off by a Testa kill and never looked back. The Profs held a 13-10 lead when Catherina and Havlieck ended the match with back-to-back kills.
 
Rowan returns to action on Friday in the Rowan University Invitational. The Profs face Penn State Abington at 3 p.m. and Kenyon College at 5 p.m.