Box Score UNION, NJ – The Rowan University women's volleyball team won the opening set but Kean University rallied for a 3-1 win over the Profs in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) match on Tuesday night.
The set scores were 23-25, 25-23, 25-14 and 25-16. Rowan is 8-7 overall and 2-1 in the conference. The Cougars up their record to 12-4 and have a perfect 4-0 NJAC mark.
Middle hitter Sara Ridgway (sr. Barnegat, NJ/Barnegat) led Kean with 19 kills and six blocks. Middle hitter Jesse Larkin (so. Redwood City, CA/Woodside) tallied eight kills while outside hitters Vikki Stec (jr. Elmwood Park, NJ/Elmwood Park Mem.) and Brett Harper (jr. Vero Beach, FL/St. Edward's) each added seven. Stec also recorded 18 digs, six service aces and four blocks. Setter Brianna Calvano (so. Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) amassed 43 assists. Libero/defensive specialist Kortnee Nelson (so. Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Rancho Cucamonga) contributed with 13 digs.
Profs' outside hitter/opposite
Kailey Gallagher (so. Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) and outside hitter
Megan Jacobi (so. Nazareth, PA/Nazareth Area) produced 11 and 10 kills respectively. Outside hitter
Taylor Modica (fr. Newark, DE/Appoquinimink) produced nine kills and opposite
Maura Francis (so. Philadelphia, PA/St. Basil Academy) followed with seven. Setters
Katelyn Paxson (so. Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) and
Tori Mock (fr. Chadds Ford, PA/Archmere Academy (DE)) totaled 22 and 12 assists respectively. Paxson also had 11 digs. Middle hitter
Erin Keegan (jr. Fairfield, NJ/West Essex) chipped in with 17 digs and defensive specialist/libero
Amy Staiber (so. Morton, PA/Ridley) posted 10 digs.
Rowan trailed 2-1 early in the match before recording four straight points for a 5-2 advantage. Kean would score the next point to make the score 5-3 and would not be within two points again until it was 21-19. A Profs' error closed the gap to one (22-21) and the teams traded points until Jacobi's kill gave Rowan the first set.
The Profs started the second stanza well, jumping out to a 10-2 lead. Rowan was ahead 20-15 before the Cougars surged for eight consecutive points to take the advantage, 23-20. The Profs got within one (24-23) but Larkin's kill ended the set. Kean did not trail in either of the final two sets.
Next, the volleyball team heads to conference foe Stockton University on Thursday, Sept. 28 for a 7 p.m. match.
