Montclair, NJ – In a big-time matchup with playoff seeding on the line, the Montclair State University volleyball team will look to make it eight wins in a row as it welcomes Kean University for its final regular-season New Jersey Athletic Conference matchup this Tuesday.
 
GAME INFO
First serve from the Panzer Athletic Center is set for 7:00 p.m. Live stats and video links are available on montclairathletics.com. 
 
LAST TIME OUT
Montclair earned a non-conference sweep of John Jay last Thursday. The Red Hawks kicked off the night with the first three points, headlined by a service ace, kill, and assist from LUCY CORNELIUS. John Jay later equalized the stanza at five and took a three-point advantage as part of a 8-2 run. Montclair answered with four consecutive markers of their own, including a kill and service ace from KASEY TRZASKA. Following a service error that leveled the set again, the Red Hawks rattled off four more kills with a pair coming from BREANNA CRAIG. The Bloodhounds trimmed the score to 18-15, but Craig notched back-to-back kills to force a timeout. Coming out of the break, Cornelius tallied a pair of kills as part of a 5-2 run from the home side to close out the stanza.
The two sides traded points in the early stages of the second frame before John Jay started to pull away, building a 8-4 lead. Montclair notched 10 of the next 13 points to surge ahead by three, led by BRYN BAUTISTA with four kills. John Jay countered with a 6-1 run of their own to vault back in front by two, forcing a timeout from the home side. With the score 23-20 later in the set, Bautista tallied back-to-back kills before the Bloodhounds pushed it to set point with a kill. Three consecutive errors from the visitors nudged Montclair in front, as Bautista ended the frame with another kill.
After the Bloodhounds gained an early 5-3 lead in the final set, CAMRYN MUUSS recorded consecutive service aces as part of a 6-1 run that pushed Montclair in front by three. John Jay countered to regain the advantage at 13-12, and with the contest level at 14 shortly after, back-to-back errors gave the Red Hawks the lead once again. Cornelius tallied a pair of aces to push the home side in front by four, and with the margin three at 22-19 later on, Montclair closed strong with the final three points of the match.
 
TEAM LEADERS
MONTCLAIR STATE (24-4, 5-2 NJAC)
Kills: CAMRYN MUUSS, 322
Assists: LUCY CORNELIUS, 888
Digs: EMMA HATCHER, 386
Aces: EMMA HATCHER, 66
Blocks: LILY THOMAS, 82
 
KEAN (24-5, 6-1 NJAC)
Kills: Ashley Torok, 386
Assists: Aspen O'Brien, 1059
Digs: Madeline Dohogne, 374
Aces: Madeline Dohogne, 52
Blocks: Cayley Elena Morrison, 99
 
SCOUTING KEAN
The Cougars enter the matchup with a 24-5 overall record and a 6-1 mark in NJAC play after edging Penn State Abington, 3-2, last Thursday. In the 2024 season, Kean posted a 17-14 overall record, including a 5-3 conference mark, earning a berth in the NJAC Tournament before falling to Rowan, 3-1, in the quarterfinals. According to the 2025 NJAC Preseason Poll, the Cougars were projected to finish fourth and were tabbed as this year's "Dark Horse" team.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Red Hawks and the Cougars face off for the 52nd time in their storied rivalry. Kean holds the all-time record at 33-18.
 
LAST MEETING
The last time these two teams faced off was in last year's regular season when Montclair State downed the Cougars, 3-2, on November 5, 2024.
 
UP NEXT
Montclair State University will host its final tri-match and regular-season matches of the season as they face off with St. Joseph's University Long Island, and FDU-Florham, which will be played at Panzer Athletic Center on Saturday, November 8. They take on the Eagles at 11:00 a.m. and the Devils at 3:00 p.m.