Men's Volleyball Sweeps Sacred Heart, Gimeno and Meissner Combine for 30 Kills

Published: Monday, March 2, 2020

NJIT recorded its second consecutive 3-0 EIVA men's volleyball sweep behind a combined 30 kills from Alvaro Gimeno and Julian Meissner Saturday afternoon in men's volleyball action inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.

NJIT, winners of two in a row, move to 8-5 overall, 3-3 in the EIVA and 5-1 inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.  Sacred Heart, still in search for its first league victory, drops to 0-7 in the EIVA and 4-8 overall.

The Highlanders won in straight sets -- 25-20, 25-21 and 25-15.

As a team, NJIT hit .304 led by Gimeno and Meissner who combined for 15 kills apiece.  Meissner finished the match with a .588 hitting percentage, including four digs and two block assists while Gimeno registered a .303 hitting percentage, with six digs and two total blocks (one solo, one assist).

Sophomore setter Roque Nido piled up a match-best 36 assists and added seven digs.  Three different players libero Joe Kennedy, Meissner and Luca Berger notched four digs.  Berger led the way in front of the net with a match-best six total blocks (all assists).

Sacred Heart was led by Connor Mahony with eight kills while Ramiro Balaguer added 24 assists.  Timothy McIntosh combined for a match-best 16 digs.

NJIT 25, Sacred Heart 20 | Set One
NJIT opened up the match 4-1 and extended its lead to 11-7 after three consecutive points by the Highlanders.  Sacred Heart rallied back and knotted the frame at 18-all behind a 6-2 run by the Pioneers. The Highlanders used a 7-2 spurt to close out the frame with a 25-20 victory.

NJIT 25, Sacred Heart 21 | Set Two
Sacred Heart took an early 7-5 advantage but the Highlanders used an 8-3 spurt to push ahead by three, 13-10, capped by block assists from Berger and Jens Feldthus.  Neither team led by more than two until after a 19-all tie, which saw the Highlanders use a 6-3 spurt to secure the 25-21 victory and go up 2-0.

NJIT 25, Sacred Heart 15 | Set Three
NJIT hit .391 in the final frame, combining for 11 kills on just two errors and 23 swings.  Both teams traded points early, which saw Sacred Heart take a 7-4 lead. NJIT used a 7-1 run to regain the lead, 11-8, on a Pioneer attacking error.  NJIT used another big run, which put the Highlanders ahead for good, an 8-4 spurt, for a 19-13 advantage. NJIT closed out the match on a 6-1 run, securing the 25-15 victory and sweeping the Pioneers.

NJIT will return to action next Friday when the Highlanders visit Princeton on March 6. First spike is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.