Montclair, N.J. – Stockton University (22-7) rallied by winning the last two sets to defeat Montclair (21-8) 3-2 in the NJAC Tournament semifinals and advance to the conference championship match. Trailing 2-1, the Ospreys captured the fourth set 25-18 and then prevailed 16-14 in a thrilling fifth set.
Kate Louer (Clifton/Clifton) tied her season high with 16 kills and scooped a career-high 25 digs for her third straight double-double and fifth in the last seven matches. Louer was at her best in the clutch, smacking six kills in the fifth set.
Stockton led by two five times during the fifth frame, with the last one coming at 13-11 following a kill by Louer. Montclair answered with three straight tallies and the Ospreys faced match point at 14-13. Another kill by Louer tied it again at 14-14, and a pair of attack errors by the Red Hawks gave Stockton the 16-14 triumph.
Nicole Palmer (Islip Terrace, N.Y./East Islip) spiked 13 kills in the match, followed by
Rileigh Wilson (Milton, Del./Cape Henlopen) with 10 kills.
Jaylah Rolle (Williamstown/Williamstown) tied her career high with nine blocks and added seven kills.
Setters
Regan Mendick (Newark, Del./Red Lion Christian) and
Kristen Burton (Millersville, Md./Archbishop Spalding) handed out 22 and 21 assists respectively.
Ashley Carkhuff (Hackettstown/Hackettstown) and
McKenna Ritchie (Newark, Del./Newark Charter) contributed nine digs apiece.
Five kills by Palmer and three blocks by Rolle sparked Stockton to a dominant 25-14 victory in the opening set. The Ospreys were hampered by nine attack errors and four service errors in the second set as Montclair evened the match 25-20.
The third set was very close, with 14 ties and seven lead changes. Louer tallied four kills and nine digs but the Red Hawks nipped Stockton 25-23. The Ospreys controlled the fourth set as Wilson (5 kills), Palmer (4 kills) and Louer (4 kills) combined for 13 of Stockton's 14 kills in a 25-18 victory that set the stage for the exciting finish.
The win was Stockton's sixth in a row and 22nd of the season, giving the Ospreys their highest total since 2019. No 3 seed Stockton will play in the NJAC championship match at No. 1 seed William Paterson on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
