NEWARK, NJ – Freshman middle blocker
Rachel Witt led Rutgers-Newark with six kills, three aces and three blocks, but William Paterson took a 3-0 New Jersey Athletic Conference decision in The Golden Dome Arena. Set scores were 25-17, 25-15, 25-17 in the first match played on the arena’s newly-installed wooden floor.
William Paterson 3, Rutgers-Newark 0
Senior libero
Val Dauti recorded a match-high 16 digs and served an ace for the Raiders who also got four kills apiece from juniors
Na-Keta Michael and
Crystal Navarro. Junior setter
Gabi Mangieri came up with a match-high 16 assists, eight digs and three kills.
Pioneer senior middle hitter Kelly Helfrich notched her 1,000th career kill in the opening set and went on to tally 10 kills while adding 13 digs, two solo blocks and three assisted blocks. Helfrich now has 1,009 career kills.
The Pioneers (19-7, NJAC 5-3) secured a homecourt advantage for the opening round of the NJAC Championship Tournament while the Scarlet Raiders (3-26, NJAC 1-7) saw a two-match winning streak snapped.
Sophomore outside hitter Megan Maher hammered down a match-high 12 kills to go along with 11 assists, six digs and two aces for William Paterson while senior setter Jillian Bronowich chipped in 14 assists and four digs.
Dauti will be honored during pre-match ceremonies on Friday at 7 p.m. on Senior Night. Rutgers-Newark will close out the 2009 season with a non-conference contest against Bard College in The Golden Dome.