Glassboro, N.J. – Stockton University (5-5, 0-1 NJAC) nearly staged a furious rally from a 2-0 deficit before falling short in a 3-2 setback in the NJAC opener at defending conference champion Rowan University (11-1, 1-0). The Ospreys won the third and fourth sets and led 6-1 in the fifth before the comeback stalled.
 
The match was Stockton's third five-setter in less than a week. Haley Green (Springville, Utah/Maple Mountain) led Stockton with 13 kills followed by Kate Louer (Clifton/Clifton) with 12 kills and Camille De La Torre (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) with nine.
 
Aubrey Rentzel (York, Pa./Central York) and Regan Mendick (Newark, Del./Red Lion Christian) dealt 23 and 16 assists respectively. Mendick also tallied 11 digs. Molly Eng (New Providence/New Providence) scooped a match-high 25 digs
 
The match was close throughout, with each set decided by four points or less. The Ospreys fell shot 25-21 and 25-23 in the first two frames. With the third set tied at 25, a kill by Teleyah Witherspoon (Hackensack/Hackensack) and an ace from Mendick kept Stockton alive, 27-25.
 
The Ospreys trailed 20-19 in the fourth set before using a 6-1 run to even the match with a 25-21 win. Stockton broke out to a 6-1 lead in the fifth set but then faltered as Rowan outscored the Ospreys 14-3 the rest of the way to prevail 15-9 and take the match.
 
Stockton returns home to host New Jersey City in an NJAC match on Thursday at 7 p.m.