CAMDEN, NJ – The Rowan University volleyball team edged Rutgers-Camden in a five-set thriller, winning 3-2 on Tuesday.
The Profs move to 14-11 (4-2 NJAC), while the Scarlet Raptors drop to 6-12 (0-5 NJAC).
Rowan stumbled in the opening set against the Scarlet Raptors. Each side traded points back-and-forth until Rutgers-Camden broke out a nine-point run to pull ahead, 12-4. The Profs fought back but could not overcome the early deficit as they lost, 25-19.
The Brown and Gold bounced back in the second. Rowan jumped out to a 3-0 lead after a block from middle hitter
Jamie Shirtz (sr. Mendham, NJ/West Morris Mendham), an ace from setter
Tori Mock (so. Chadds Ford, PA/Archmere Academy (DE)) and a block from outside hitter
Kailey Gallagher (jr. Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) and Shirtz. The Profs extended their lead to 11-4 after a four-point swing. Rutgers-Camden fought back late in the second to trail 18-17 after earning four consecutive points. Outside hitter Delaney Kolb (fr. York, PA/Dallastown Area) started the run with a kill, followed by a Rowan error. The rally ended with an ace from defensive specialist Ashley Newman (so. Collegeville, PA/Methacton) and a Brown and Gold error. The Profs locked down and held onto the lead to win, 25-20.
Rowan started hot with a 7-1 advantage over the Scarlet Raptors in the third stanza. After a pair of errors from Rutgers-Camden, Jacobi and Shirtz teamed up for a block, followed by a solo block from Jacobi. The Scarlet Raptors recorded their first point off an error before Gallagher notched two kills and Jacobi added one. The Profs kept rolling throughout the set as they pulled away, 22-16. The Brown and Gold slipped as it could only score an additional two points compared to Rutgers-Camden's 10 as it lost, 26-24.
Both sides kept the score close early in the fourth frame before Rowan tallied four points to take a 9-4 advantage. Jacobi notched a kill, followed by a point from middle hitter Lauren
Horbacewicz (so. Toms River, NJ/Toms River E.). Jacobi register another kill and the Scarlet Raptors committed an error. The Profs maintained their lead for the remainder of the set, to eventually win 25-19.
Each side went toe-to-toe in the final set, but Rutgers-Camden took a slight 8-5 advantage after scoring four straight. The Scarlet Raptors earned their first point on a Rowan error, then Kolb smash down a kill. The next two points came on a Profs error and setter Kayla Benesz (fr. East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) served an ace. The Brown and Gold locked down and rallied off the next nine points to pull away 14-8. The match ended when outside hitter
Natalie Ogden (fr. Downingtown, PA/Bishop Shanahan) scored the final point on a kill to win, 15-10.
Horbacewicz ended the match with 11 kills on a .444 hitting percentage, while Gallagher recorded 11 on a .321 hitting percentage. Mock paced the offense with 22 assists and setter
Alaina Santacroce (fr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) dished 21. Libero
Emma Cormican (so. Wallingford, PA/Strath Haven) racked up 21 digs, while defensive specialist
Kristin Akin (sr. Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) had 15.
For Rutgers-Camden, outside hitter Morgan Mulligan (jr. New Gretna, NJ/Pinelands Reg.), outside hitter Jordan Erskine (jr. Barnegat, NJ/Barnegat) and Kolb all finished with 12 kills apiece.
Rowan travels to the Hudson Valley Quad Match on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018, where it faces SUNY New Paltz at 5 p.m.
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