Montclair, NJ – Sophomore Courtney Matlock (Jackson, NJ, Jackson Memorial) recorded a match-high 11 kills while classmate Melissa Terpstra (Midland Park, NJ, Midland Park) added 10 kills along with 15 digs as Montclair State swept past local rival William Paterson 3-0 in an NJAC contest at the Panzer Athletic Center on Tuesday evening.

MSU won the match by scores of 25-20, 25-19, 25-17.

Freshman Hayley Merrill (West Windsor, NJ, West Windsor-Plainsboro South) added seven kills and 13 digs as the Red Hawks posted their 20th victory of the season (20-7) while improving to 4-3 in the NJAC. MSU, which notched the fifth 20-win season in program history and second in the last three seasons, registered its fourth straight victory over the Pioneers and lead the all-time series, 18-16.

Junior Nicole Spicer (Whiting, NJ / Manchester Township) had seven kills and 20 digs to lead William Paterson (16-8), which is tied with Rutgers-Newark for the final spot in the six-team conference tournament. The two teams meet on Tuesday.  

Matlock had six kills in the opening set with Terpstra adding four as Montclair State opened up a 10-4 lead on three consecutive kills, the last by Matlock. William Paterson closed the gap with a three-point run of its own, however Merrill collected a kill and combined with Madison Maute (Sparta, NJ, Sparta) on block making the score 16-10. The Pioneers battled back clawing within 22-19 on a kill by Shauna VanDeRee (Waldwick, NJ / Waldwick) but a pair of WP errors closed out the set as Montclair led 1-0 with the 25-20 victory.

In the second set, the two remained within two points of each other until the Red Hawks seized control with six consecutive points. Matlock began the run with a kill and Terpstra had two, the second putting MSU in front 15-8. Once again, William Paterson battled back getting within 20-17 on a block by VanDeRee. Two errors by Montclair State closed the gap to 21-19 but the Red Hawks scored the final four points to go up two sets with the 25-19 triumph.

Four straight points to open the third staked MSU to a 4-0 lead which grew to 13-4 as Matlock and Maute teamed up on block. Courtney LePore (Deer Park, NY, Deer Park), who finished with five kills, extended the lead to 16-6 and then 18-10 before the Pioneers countered with a four-point run for an 18-14 MSU advantage. The teams traded points before the Red Hawks tallied five points in a row, the last two on aces by Terpstra. William Paterson was able to hold off the match for two points before Maute ended it for Montclair with the last of her kills.

Maute had five kills along with blockswhile setter Angela Campo (Washington Township, NJ, Westwood) had a double-double of 33 assists and 13 digs. Libero Lily Scanzillo (Upper Saddle River, NJ, Northern Highlands) topped all MSU players with 20 digs.

Montclair has one conference match remaining and will host New Jersey City University on Tuesday, October 28th however despite the win over WPU the Red Hawks are locked into the No. 5 seed for the upcoming NJAC Tournament which begins on Tuesday, November 4. That was solidified tonight as Rowan defeated Kean in five sets dropping the Cougars to 5-2 and in a tie with Ramapo. Montclair fell to both teams and would lose out on all tiebreakers against either Kean and/or Ramapo.

Before the NJCU match on Tuesday, the Red Hawks travel to Purchase, NY to face Manhattanville College on Saturday, October 25.