NJIT Takes 3-1 Victory Over Visiting St. Francis Brooklyn

Published: Monday, January 23, 2023
Alessandro Negri paces NJIT with 17 kills

The NJIT men's volleyball team moved back into the win column, taking a 3-1 close set victory over visiting St. Francis Brooklyn in non-conference men's volleyball action inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center Saturday afternoon.

NJIT won 25-21, 24-26, 27-25 and 25-20, improving to an even 3-3 on the season while St. Francis Brooklyn moves to 3-2 on the young season.

Sophomore Alessandro Negri led the Highlanders with 17 kills and finished with a .361 hitting percentage with 36 attempts. Fifth-year Martin de Chavarria notched a .562 hitting percentage, notching nine kills with no errors. Senior Carson Williams registered seven kills on 13 attempts with two errors.

Setter Roque Nido piled up 34 assists and added five digs and two block assists. De Chavarria led the match with seven total blocks (one solo, six assists) followed by Williams (4), Negri (4).

Fifth-year Jens Feldthus recorded seven digs while Negri followed with six digs.

St. Francis Brooklyn's Patrick Rogers led the match with 20 kills and libero Nicola Iannelli paced the match with 14 digs. Middle Bartrek Zielinski added five block assists.

NJIT opened up the first set, hitting an impressive .524 to go ahead 25-21 paced by Negri with five kills on six attempts in the frame. The set saw 12 ties and six lead changes as the Highlanders broke a 20-20 tie late in the set and finished off on a 5-1 run to secure the win.

Another close set, this time featuring 16 ties and six lead changes, saw St. Francis Brooklyn took the set in extra set, 26-24, to even the match at 1-1. The Terries used a 4-1 run to close out the frame and secure the 26-24 victory.

The Terriers jumped out to an early 9-5 lead, resulting in an NJIT timeout. The Highlanders went ahead by two, 17-15, scoring four consecutive points, resulting in a St. Francis Brooklyn timeout. Both teams traded points through the late teens into the 20's and the Highlanders closed out the frame on a 3-1 run, capped by a double block by Will Migdal and Williams.

NJIT secured the 3-1 win with a 27-25 victory in the fourth set, behind six kills from Negri. Neither team led by more than two points until the early 20's which saw the Highlanders score the final three points of the set, capped by a kill from Negri.

NJIT will return to action on Thursday in the EIVA Conference opener against George Mason at 7 p.m. The Highlanders will face No. 5 Pepperdine the next day at 7 p.m.