From NYU Athletics
The New York University women's volleyball team closed out its home season in front of an energetic Senior Night crowd with a 3-2 victory over Montclair State University on Thursday, October 19, at the Violets' Brooklyn Athletic Facility in Brooklyn, NY.
After taking the first two sets by scores of 25-17 and 25-18, the Violets (6-19) dropped the next two to the Red Hawks (12-14) 25-20 and 25-13.
However, NYU defended its home court with a final-set 15-8 win to capture the match.
The Violets got off to a terrific start, scoring the first six points of the match and quickly taking a 9-1 lead. The Red Hawks pulled to within 10-9 and eventually knotted the score at 13-13. However, NYU scored the next three points and led the rest of the way en route to the first-set victory.
Though NYU scored the initial point of the ensuing set, the Red Hawks were able to take their first lead of the match at 2-1. Then, trailing 11-9, the Violets went on a 7-0 streak for a 16-11 lead. However, Montclair rallied to take the next four points and pull within 16-15. But, NYU scored the next point and ended the set on a 9-3 run to take a 2-0 lead.
The Violets got off to another fast start in the third set, scoring the first three points. But, the Red Hawks tied it at 3-3, and then with the score again deadlocked at 10-10, they went on a 5-0 streak to take the lead for good.
The Montclair momentum continued into the fourth set, as the Red Hawks scored the first five points and soared to a lead of as many as 15 points (19-4) before settling for the 12-point win.
The Red Hawks scored the first three points of the final set before the Violets responded with the next nine. Montclair finally stopped the streak by scoring the next three points. But, with the Senior Night crowd on its feet on every point, the host Violets would not be denied. When Nazzerine Waldon's kill finally secured the win for NYU, it ended a special evening.
"We talked about being aggressive and keeping our composure," explained Acting Head Coach Karl France. "The ladies played very, very inspired ball in that final set."
Seniors Rayne Ellis and Grace Napolitano were honored before the match began.
"In that fifth set, we just said to each other 'are we gonna do it or not?', and there wasn't a 'not' answer," Napolitano explained. "We were going to do this!"
NET NOTES:
- Ellis and Waldon each recorded a match-high 16 kills.
- Napolitano finished with a team-high 16 digs.
- Zel Fortson (25) and Katie Goyette (21) each recorded over 20 assists.