Montclair, NJ – Sophomore Stephanie Kovacs (Allentown, PA / Central Catholic) collected 17 kills while junior Lindsay Schuele (Sparta, NJ / Sparta) added 16 as Stockton University opened defense of its NJAC championship with a 3-1 victory over Montclair State at the Panzer Athletic Center on Tuesday evening.

Senior setter Shannon Clark (Folsom, PA / Ridley) reached a milestone with her 2,000^th career assist as the Ospreys (9-1, 1-0 NJAC), extended their winning streak to seven matches with the 25-14, 25-15, 22-25, 25-20 win.

Junior NIKKI SENOPOULOS (Plainsboro, NJ / West Windsor-Plainsboro South) posted a double-double of 10 kills and 13 digs for Montclair State (5-4, 0-1 NJAC), which fell to 2-44 all-time against Stockton. MADISON MAUTE (Sparta, NJ / Sparta) and COURTNEY LEPORE (Deer Park, NY / Deer Park) added nine kills apiece.

Stockton stormed out of the gate hitting .491 through the first two sets, including .650 in the first. Kovacs had three kills while Schuele added three and Idi Uffen (Williamstown, NJ / Williamstown) two as the Ospreys jumped out to a 17-8 lead.

The efficient hitting continued into the second set as two straight kills by Kovacs plus a kill from Jenna Lara (Ridgefield, NJ / Ridgefield) turned a one-point Osprey lead into a 12-6 advantage. Montclair would close within 13-10 however back-to-back kills from Schuele restored the lead to 16-11. Leading 17-13, Stockton ran off seven straight points which included three kills by Kovacs. Montclair held off one set point but Jessica Ciandella (Beachwood, NJ / Roselle Catholic) flipped the ball down the line for the final point as Stockton took a 2-0 lead in the match.

The third set looked as though the Ospreys would complete the sweep but Montclair State roared back from a 15-10 deficit. Freshman NATALIA MAJKUT (Cherry Hill, NJ / Cherry Hill East) began a six-point run by the Red Hawks and three consecutive service aces from DANIELLE OLCESE (Long Valley, NJ / West Morris Central) tied the match at 15-15. The teams traded the next eight points before an error by Stockton and kill from LePore gave Montclair a 21-19 lead. An Uffen kill brought the Ospreys within 22-21but Maute answered for MSU and an error made the score 24-21. A service error by Montclair kept the set going but Majkut ended on the next point giving the Red Hawks their first set victory against Stockton since 2009.

The fourth set was a back-and-forth affair with neither team holding more than a two-point advantage. Tied at 16-16, Uffen put down a set from Clark igniting a six-point run as the Ospreys took control of the set and closed out the victory.

Glynn and Uffen (4 blocks) each finished with nine digs for Stockton with Ciandella recording 27 assists along with five digs. Libero Rebecka Zabilowicz (Belmar, NJ / Red Bank Regional) had a match-high 27 digs.

COURTNEY MATLOCK had six kills and four digs for MSU while sister KIMBERLY MATLOCK put up 35 assists and seven digs. LePore had four blocks.

Montclair State returns to action on Thursday, September 17 with a 6:30 pm match against the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY.