NJIT Sweeps Visiting Sacred Heart in Home Opener

Published: Saturday, January 14, 2023
Highlanders finish the match hitting .333

NJIT swept visiting Sacred Heart, 3-0, finishing the match hitting .333 as a team in the home opener for the Highlanders Saturday afternoon inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.

VIDEO: NJIT Post Game Interview with ESPN+ Ira Thor and head coach Danny Goncalves

VIDEO: NJIT Highlights vs. Sacred Heart | 1.14.23

NJIT moves to .500 early in the young season, improving to 2-2 on the season while Sacred Heart falls to 0-2.

The Highlanders won in straight sets – 26-24, 25-21 and 25-12 led by Julian Meissner and Alessandro Negri who each notched nine kills apiece. Negri, a 2022 OffTheBlock Freshman All-American, hit .400 on 15 attempts and three errors while Meissner finished with a .267 hitting percentage on 15 attempts.

Senior AJ Jones recorded five kills followed by sophomore Josh Gregg, who played one set, combining for four kills on five attempts with no errors for an .800 hitting percentage.

Griffin Fieseler led the Highlanders at the setting position, recorded a match-best 26 assists to go along with five block assists.

In addition to Fieseler's five block assists, Martin de Chavarria added five block assists and Carson Williams added three block assists.

Senior Mason Matos paced NJIT with two service aces and led the match with an 8-to-3 advantage. Six different Highlanders recorded one ace in the win.

Sacred Heart was led by Carlos Santa Cruz and Patrick Mucherino each notching six kills each.

The first set saw 17 ties and six lead changes, the final at 24-all. NJIT finished off the match on a quick 2-1 spurt to earn the first set, 26-24. Meissner led NJIT with four kills.

NJIT scored six consecutive points early in the frame to give the Highlanders an 11-9 lead, resulting in a Sacred Heart timeout. NJIT maintained a two-point lead through the teens and extended its lead to as many as four, 22-18, on a kill by middle blocker Carson Williams. Sacred Heart pulled within three, 24-21. Negri put down the final point of the set to take a 2-0 lead with a 25-21 victory.

The home team was on fire to start the third frame taking a 8-2 lead and increased their advantage to as many as nine, 18-9, resulting in a Sacred Heart timeout. NJIT scored the final three points of the set, including a pair of aces from Matos to secure the 3-0 sweep at home with a 25-12 victory.

NJIT will break for a week and return to action and host No. 12 Loyola-Chicago on Friday, January 20 at 7pm on ESPN+ and St. Francis Brooklyn on Saturday, January 21 at 2pm on America East TV.