Galloway, NJ – The Montclair State volleyball team couldn't have had their backs any closer to the wall on Thursday evening. Down 2-0 to eight-time defending champion Stockton, MSU needed a win in the third set to keep its season alive.

Then senior COURTNEY MATLOCK put down a kill and everything turned around.

The point got the third-seeded Red Hawks back into the match and two sets later Montclair was on its way to the NJAC Championship Game for the second consecutive year following a stunning five-set victory over the Ospreys.  After dropping the first two sets 25-17 and 25-19, MSU battled back to win the next three 25-23, 26-24 with a 15-10 triumph in the decisive fifth set.

Junior HAYLEY MERRILL had 21 kills as MSU collected one of the biggest wins in program history and now heads to Mahwah, NJ on Saturday, November 5 to face top-seeded Ramapo in the NJAC title game at 5:00 pm. The winner of the match receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship. 

This will be Montclair's sixth trip to the title contest as it seeks its third NJAC crown. The Red Hawks won the championship in 1997 and 2007.

Making things more stunning was the fact that Thursday's win was just the third against the Ospreys (21-14) in 49 all-time meetings. The Red Hawks snapped a 10-game losing streak versus Stockton winning for the first time since October 28, 2009 in the final NJAC regular-season match. Montclair's other victory in the series coincidentally came in the semifinals of the NJAC Tournament in 2007.  

Trailing 2-0 in the match, the teams staged a back and forth affair in the third with using a three-point run to move in front 18-15. Leading 24-21, the Ospreys pulled within a point with Lindsay Schuele getting the kill. But Matlock came through as MSU put a set in its back pocket with the 25-23 victory.

The fourth set provided even more drama and the Red Hawks fell behind 6-0. MSU would climb back into the match and led 22-19 before Stockton recorded the next four points for a 23-22 advantage. Merrill tied the match back up with a kill however a kill from Stockton's Stephanie Kovacs put MSU on the brink at 24-23. Merrill came through with a season-saving kill and APRIL DIANGELO followed with an ace giving MSU back the lead. Merrill closed it out with a kill for the 26-24 win and it was off to the fifth set.

With momentum going its way, Montclair State leaped out to a 7-2 lead thanks in part to a five-point run. Stockton did not go away and battled back to 9-8. MSU then went on a dagger-like four point run with REBECCA MATASKER getting three kills to extend the lead to 13-8. Matlock added one final kill and after Stockton stayed alive, an attack error ended the match.

Matlock finished with 10 kills while MADISON MAUTE added eight kills and five blocks. Matasker had seven kills and four blocks with Di'Angelo serving up four aces in the match. Ashley Griffth registered 48 assists and five aces. Libero DANIELLE OLCESE led MSU with 17 digs.

Montclair now heads off to the Bradley Center where it will look to erase a three-set loss to the Roadrunners back on October 11.