Match Stats
- NJIT defeats Sacred Heart 3-1 (21-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-22)
- NJIT moves to 7-6 (3-2 EIVA); Sacred Heart falls to 7-6 (3-2 MIVA)
- William H. Pitt Center, Farfield, Connecticut
- Attedance: 222
- Match Stats
Press Releases
Courtesy NJI Athletics:
FAIRFIELD, CT—Senior Jabarry Goodridge paced the match with 21 kills as visiting NJIT recorded its second consecutive win, topping Sacred Heart, 3-1, in EIVA Conference men’s volleyball action Friday night at William H. Pitt Center.
The win for NJIT, its second in a row, moves the Highlanders above .500 (7-6) and 3-2 in the conference while Sacred Heart drops to 10-3 overall, 3-2 in the EIVA.
Sacred Heart picked up a 25-21 victory in the first frame but the Highlanders rallied to win the next three, 25-20, 25-22 and 25-22 to secure the win.
In addition to Goodridge’s match-best 21 kills, Raymond Kowalski added nine kills followed by Luke Robbe with seven on 13 attempts with just one error, combining for a .462 hitting percentage.
Sophomore setter Ricardo Whitaker recorded a match-high 38 assists while defensively, libero Shannon Heckman notched 12 digs followed by Kowalski (7), Goodridge (5) and Brad Thele (5).
In front of the net, Robbe posted four block assists while middle Luke Allmond added three blocks (1 solo, 2 assists) for the visitors.
Sacred Heart’s Christopher DeLucie led the Pioneers with 13 kills followed by 12 from Michael Comens. Setter Eduardo Zardo piled up 34 assists and Joshua Ayzenberg was the match-leader with 17 digs.
In the first set, the Pioneers scored the first three points and held an early 8-6 lead. The Highlanders used a 7-0 run to jump ahead 15-13. Sacred Heart would use a 6-2 spurt, regaining the lead, 19-16, resulting in an NJIT timeout. The home team held a three-point lead through the late teens and scored the final two points of the set for a 25-21 victory.
NJIT responded in the second set, jumping out to a 9-3 spurt. The Highlanders held a comfortable lead through the early teens until Sacred Heart scored four straight, pulling within two of the Highlanders, 16-18, after a block by Doug Dzema, resulting in an NJIT timeout. The visitors held a comfortable lead late in the set and scored the final two points, evening the set 1-1, with a 25-20 win.
The third set started off slow with both teams trading points until the Highlanders scored three straight, pushing ahead, 11-9, on a kill by Allmond. NJIT extended its lead to 19-16 but the home team rallied back late in the frame, pulling within two of the visitors, 22-24, after three consecutive points. Out of the timeout, a service error by Sacred Heart awarded the Highlanders its final point of the set for a 25-22 victory, pulling ahead, 2-1.
In the final set, NJIT opened the scoring 7-4 and held a two-point advantage 20-18 late in the set. Two straight points by the Pioneers knotted the set at 20 all, resulting in an NJIT timeout. Head Coach Danny Goncalves regrouped his team and the Highlanders closed out the set on a 5-2 run for a 25-22 victory.
NJIT will have a quick turnaround and visit Harvard on Saturday at 4pm.
Courtesy Sacred Heart Athletics:
The Sacred Heart men’s volleyball team took on the NJIT Highlanders in an EIVA contest that ended the with Highlanders on top 3-1. The Pioneers were led by Bobby Costigan who hit .833 (5-6). The Pioneers are back in action tomorrow as they take on Princeton at 4:00pm.
Noteworthy-
- Emerson Waumans had an amazing first set, picking up two solo blocks, and hitting .714 (5-7)
- Bobby Costigan came off the bench in the third set, and hit .750 (3-4)
SET 1
- The Pioneers got off to a hot start with jumping to a 3-0 lead. Christopher DeLucie got things going with a big kill off a dig from the Highlanders
- DeLucie, and Emerson Waumans added back-to-back solo blocks to keep SHU ahead early
- Taylor Bloomquist kept the dominance at the net going, picking up a solo block to move the score to 8-6 in favor of SHU
- NJIT went on a run of their own to tie the game up 13-13, but the Pioneers were able to get things together after back-to-back kills from Waumans, and a solo block as SHU led 17-15
- A booming kill from Doug Dzema stunned the Highlanders as SHU picked up the final two points and took the first set 25-21
SET 2
- The Highlanders were quick to respond as they jumped to an early 9-3 lead, forcing SHU to take a timeout
- Dzema regrouped the squad after a must needed kill, moving the score to 11-6
- Third times a charm as Michael Comens, had three attempts to pick up the kill, and was successful moving the score to 17-13 in favor of NJIT
Dzema lit up the crowd with a HUGE solo block, moving the Pioneers within two, and forcing NJIT to take a timeout - The Highlanders early lead was too much for SHU as they would drop the second set, 25-20
SET 3
- After a 10 minute break Head Coach Greg Walker got the team back on track as each team exchanged points, till Bloomquist, and DeLucie picked up a block assist to make the score 9-8 in favor of SHU
- Bobby Costigan entered the game, and picked up back-to-back kills moving the score to 17-15 in favor of NJIT
- Each team exchanged points moving the score to 21-19 with NJIT on top, but the Highlanders kept their momentum and took the third set 25-22
SET 4
- The Highlanders jumped to an early 7-4 lead. Dzema got the Pioneers back into it as he added a kill to make the set 8-6 in favor of the Highlanders
- Costigan tied the set up at 10-10 after a big kill
- The Highlanders went on a 4-0 run, but was answered by a 4-0 run from Sacred Heart as the score remained tied 15-15
- The match was now 20-20 and after an NJIT timeout the Highlanders were able to end the game 25-22
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