Box Score 

WAYNE, N.J. – William Paterson (10-1, 2-0 NJAC) scored seven of the final nine points of the match to fight off Rutgers-Newark (4-9, 0-3 NJAC), 3-2, for a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) volleyball victory Sept. 23.

After trailing by two late in the first set, the Scarlet Raiders reeled off three straight points to win the opening set, 25-23. The Pioneers earned close wins in the second and third sets, 25-20 and 25-18, but Rutgers-Newark jumped out to leads of 5-1 and 18-10 en route to a 25-16 victory in the fourth.

Back-to-back kills by junior Megan Maher (Wood-Ridge, N.J./Wood-Ridge) nudged William Paterson ahead, 11-6, in the fifth, followed by a Raider hitting error and kill, for a 12-7 score. Maher put down another kill, followed by the same from Rutgers-Newark's Crystal Navarro. A kill from senior Michelle Leeder (Ridgefield, N.J./Ridgefield Memorial) brought up match point, and Maher and senior Stephanie Fox (Hawthorne, N.J./Paramus Catholic) combined to block Stephanie Touzan for the final point and a 15-8 William Paterson win.

Maher finished with a match-best 18 kills, adding nine assists and 11 digs. Leeder posted 11 kills and 16 digs, junior Kim Runge (Closter, N.J./Northern Valley Regional-Demarest) had 15 kills and 18 digs, and senior Jillian Bronowich (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) contributed 18 assists and 15 digs. Sophomore Kelly Shaw (Wallington, N.J./Wallington) chipped in 10 digs and six block assists for the Pioneers.

Freshman Ula Nieznalska paced the Scarlet Raiders with 14 kills and 15 digs. Classmate Jen Mendoza dished out 44 assists, and junior Toni Moppert added 11 kills and 15 digs.

The Pioneers will host Richard Stockton Thursday, Sept. 30, at 7:00 p.m.