Back-to-Back Wins for Men's Volleyball, Negri Paces NJIT with 17 Kills

NJIT's Alessandro Negri paced the visiting Highlanders with 17 kills as NJIT picked up its second consecutive victory with a 3-1 win at Harvard Saturday afternoon in EIVA Conference men's volleyball action inside Malkin Athletic Center to close out the regular season for both teams.

NJIT will be the No. 4 seed in the 2024 EIVA Conference Tournament which will be held at No.1 Penn State. The Highlanders, who swept Harvard in the final regular season series, will face the No. 5 Crimson in the first round of the EIVA Tournament on Wednesday, April 17.

The Highlanders, winners of the last three out of four matches, improved to 11-14 overall, 3-7 in the EIVA while Harvard lost its sixth straight match moving to 11-12 overall, 3-7 in the EIVA. 

NJIT's Negri who led the Highlanders with 17 kills finished the match with a .364 hitting percentage followed by Antonio Feliciano (9), Carson Williams (9) and Andrew Fedmasu (8). Griffin Fieseler combined for match-best 49 assists and seven digs. Feliciano led the match with 10 digs and Williams paced NJIT with three service aces as the Highlanders held a 7-to-1 advantage in that category

Williams, Negri, Fedmasu and Will Migdal each recorded three total blocks in the Highlanders victory.  

Both teams seesawed back and forth in the first set with the Highlanders breaking open the frame after three straight points for a 16-11 lead, resulting in a Harvard timeout. Harvard scored four out of five points late in the frame to cut the Highlanders deficit to six, 23-17. NJIT scored the final two points, including an ace by Griffin Fieseler to take the first frame 25-17.

The Highlanders jumped out to a 7-3 lead and extended its advantage four, 21-17, in the early 20's. NJIT went on to win 25-21 to go ahead 2-0 with a 25-21 victory, scoring the point on a kill by Andrew Fedmasu. 

Harvard won its first set of the match, 25-23 to force a fourth set. The third frame, played tight throughout, saw Harvard take a two-point lead in the mid-teens, 17-15 and then again 22-19 on a Highlander error late in the set. Alessandro Negri posted a kill as NJIT closed the gap to within two, 24-22, resulting in a Crimson timeout but Harvard scored the final point on a kill by Owen Fanning, keeping the Crimson alive. 

Both teams traded points in the fourth set with neither team leading by more than two until the Highlanders went on a 9-1 run in the middle of the set, extendings its lead to 19-13. NJIT maintained at least a four-point lead and secured the 3-1 win on a kill by Antonio Feliciano.