Wayne, NJ – Despite a good effort, the Montclair State University volleyball team (26-6) dropped its NJAC Quarterfinal matchup at William Paterson (19-11), 3-1 on Tuesday night.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first set was a back-and-forth between both programs. Two attack errors gave Montclair the lead, but William Paterson responded with two kills and another point on a Montclair error to take the lead. Kills from BRYN BAUTISTA and LILY THOMAS put Montclair back in the driver's seat, but once again, WPU responded with a trio of points to take a 6-4 advantage. A small 5-2 run pushed the Red Hawks out in front, 9-8, but the Pioneers had a difference maker run of 8-1, to push out in front 17-10. Montclair tried to mount a comeback, scoring five of the next six points, but a final 7-1 run by WPU gave them a 25-16 set-one victory.
• William Paterson kept its momentum going, rattling off six unanswered points to kick off the second set. Kills from Bautista and Thomas and a bad set cut the lead to 6-3. Montclair attempted to flip the script but William Paterson kept responding and holding them off for most of the set, with little leads of one to two points. The Red Hawks were able to tie the matchup up at 19-19, but the Pioneers surged late, scoring six of the next seven to take set two, 25-20.
• Refusing to quit, the Red Hawks jumped out in front 5-2 and fought to hold off William Paterson and the sweep. At a score of 9-7, WP generated a 6-1 run to flip the game, 13-10. Montclair responded with a 6-1 run of their own to hold an 18-15 advantage. Both teams exchanged points up to a 20-18 lead for Montclair before the Red Hawks rattled off five of the next seven points to seal a 25-20 set-three triumph.
• The fourth set was anyone's match. The early going saw five lead changes and seven tied scores up to a 10-8 WPU advantage. After both teams exchanged a pair of points, Montclair took momentum with a 6-1 run to jump out in front, 16-13. William Paterson swung the game back to their side, scoring seven of the next nine to take a 20-18 lead. The Red Hawks fought back to tie the set 21-21, but four-straight kills from the Pioneers helped them win set four and advance to the NJAC Semifinals.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Muuss led with 12 kills, followed by Thomas, who had her first double-digit effort of the season with 10 on the night.
• EMMA HATCHER racked up a season and career high 23 digs in the contest to go along with a team-leading three service aces.
• LUCY CORNELIUS finished with 35 assists and 11 digs, while Bautista notched 18 digs of her own.

 
FROM THE COURT

• "Not the result we had hoped for, but I'm very proud of this team and the growth we have accomplished this season. We struggled for two sets just getting in a groove. Once we settled into our game in the third set, things started clicking. Unfortunately, the ball didn't bounce our way at the end, but that is all part of sports. We fought till the very end and gave it our best effort. This team is young, and we will learn from these matches and opportunities and continue to build around the talented group of women we have." Head Coach Eduardo Stawinski

 
UP NEXT

• With its elimination from the NJAC Tournament, Montclair State University will await the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Selection Show to see if it earns an at-large bid.