Men's Volleyball Returns to the Win Column After 3-1 Victory at Lindenwood

The NJIT men's volleyball team returned back to the win column, behind sophomore Roque Nido's double-double (38 assists, 10 digs) and three players reaching double-figure kills in the Highlanders' 3-1 victory at Lindenwood Saturday evening in men's volleyball non-conference action at Hyland Arena.

NJIT (2-2) dropped its first set of the match, 25-20, but bounced in the next three frames, 25-17, 26-24 and 25-20 to earn the 3-1 victory on the road.  

Nido, the Highlander setter who played for the Puerto Rican National Team this past summer, registered his first double-double of the season, combining for a match-high 38 assists and added 10 digs. Through the first four games, the 6-foot-4 setter has recorded double-digit assists with a season-best 48 at McKendree Jan. 17.

Freshman Julian Meissner and sophomore Jens Feldthus each combined for 11 kills while junior Alvaro Gimeno recorded 10 kills.  Feldthus combined for a .391 hitting percentage on 23 attempts and just two errors.

Redshirt junior Rex Cusenbary notched a career-best nine kills on 13 swings with just one error for an impressive .615 hitting percentage for the Highlanders.

On the defensive end, sophomore libero Will Andrews recorded a match-best 11 digs followed by Nido with 10.  In front of the net, freshman Martin de Chavarria recorded seven total blocks (one solo, six assists). Meissner added four block assists in the win.

Gimeno recorded four service aces and five digs.

Lindenwood's Jeremy Kirch paced the Lions with 11 kills while Elijah Tabuarua combined for 32 assists, six block assists and four digs. Kyle Deutschmann led the team with 10 digs.

The second frame, which remained close through the mid-teens, NJIT took a six-point advantage, 16-10, after three straight points and extended its lead to 22-15 after four consecutive points securing the 25-17 victory.

Trailing 20-15 in the third frame, NJIT used a 5-2 run to close the gap to two, 22-20, and closed out the frame on a 6-2 spurt, scoring the final four points of the match for a 26-24 victory.

In the fourth frame, the Highlanders combined for a .258 hitting percentage and held a 16-12 advantage mid-way through the frame. NJIT held at least a four-point lead to the end of the frame, scoring the final two points to secure the match, 25-20.

NJIT will open its 2020 home campaign Thursday 6 p.m. when the Highlanders host Purdue Fort Wayne inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.