Montclair, NJ – Kean University's Zoe Strozewski posted 12 kills and four blocks, including each of the final two points of the fifth set as the Cougars took the final two in a 3-2 victory over Montclair State on Tuesday evening.

Seonda Gaard led Kean (8-5) with 14 kills and 18 digs as the two-time defending NJAC champion Cougars captured their league opener 23-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-16 and 15-13 snapping a two-match losing streak. Kayla Thornton and Cailyn Ross each had 12 kills with Jesse Larkin added in 10 along with five blocks.

Sophomore CARLY WATERMAN had 18 kills for the Red Hawks (5-3, 0-1 NJAC), who had their four-match winning streak halted. LEAH HIGGINS added 13 kills with JILLIAN WILSON registering nine.

Montclair jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the fifth thanks in part to an ace by SIYARA HERBERT and two kills by Waterman. The lead was 6-3 after a service error by Kean however Ross and Gaard put down kills on back-to-back points making it a one-point differential. Higgins notched a kill and an attack error by Kean got the lead to 8-5 before the Cougars embarked on a five-point run. 

Larkin and Brianna Calvano combined on a block with Kean taking advantage of three MSU miscues to take the lead 10-8. Higgins and Larkin traded kills and a kill by CAITLIN LANGE got Montclair back to 11-10. Calvano came up with an ace after a Red Hawk error as the score went to 13-10 for Kean.

Calvano committed a service error off a Montclair timeout and the Red Hawks would tie the match as Waterman posted consecutive kills knotting the set at 13-13. Strozewski and Thornton came up with the first big play as they teamed up for a block bringing Kean to match point. The Cougars would pull off the feat again on the next rally as Ross (six blocks) and Strozewski combined for the last of Kean's 10 blocks in the match.

Calvano totaled 53 assists along with four aces and nine digs for Kean. Kortnee Nelson matched Gaard for match honors in digs with 18.

MEGAN O'ROURKE had 40 assists and nine digs for the Red Hawks with Herbert and ALEXANDRA CAMPOS each serving up three aces. Waterman made it a double-double performance with 17 digs. MADDIE VALKO and Campos had 13 and 12 digs, respectively.

Montclair State returns to action on Friday, September 20 as it heads to Poughkeepsie, NY to face Vassar College at 5:00 pm. It will be the first of three matches for MSU in Vassar Invitational as it takes on Medaille and Nazareth on Saturday, September 21.