NJIT Volleyball Sweeps Charleston on Senior Day, Earns First EIVA Win in 2024
NJIT swept visiting Charleston (WV), 3-0, on Senior Day to earn the Highlanders first EIVA Conference win of the season inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center Saturday afternoon.
In pregame ceremonies, NJIT recognized two graduating seniors – Griffin Fieseler and Will Migdal who will be recognized in pregame ceremonies. NJIT also honored its two graduate students Julian Meissner and Carson Williams.
With the win, NJIT snaps a five-match skid, moving to 9-13 overall and 1-6 in the EIVA while Charleston moves to 11-12 overall, 2-4 in the EIVA.
NJIT's Alessandro Negri led all players with 13 kills, hitting .346 for the match followed by Josh Gregg (8) and Carson Williams (8). Williams finished the match with a .636 hitting percentage on 11 swings with just one error. Andrew Fedmasu added six kills in the win.
Setter Griffin Fieseler paced the match with 26 assists while adding five digs. Libero Ron Tidhar paced shared match-high honors with six digs.
In front of the net, Williams recorded a career-best 10 block assists (in a three-set match), previously combining for seven blocks in four sets against Ball State in 2022.
NJIT held an advantage in the service ace category, 6-2, led by Fedmasu and Gregg with a pair of aces in victory.
The first frame seesawed back and forth with NJIT taking a three-point lead, 10-6, after three consecutive points. The Golden Eagles responded, scoring four straight to knot the set at 10-all. WIth Charleston leading by one, 19-18, NJIT scored the next four out of five points for a 22-20 lead and used a quick 3-2 run to close out the first frame with a 25-23 victory.
In the second set, NJIT took control early, 8-3, and extended its lead to 16-8, behind four straight points. Charleston pulled within as many as two, 22-19, but the Highlanders scored the final two points of the frame, securing a 25-19 win, going up 2-0.
The Highlanders hit .308 in the third frame, as neither team led by more than three until the mid-teens, as NJIT scored four straight for a 21-16 advantage. The Golden Eagles again trimmed the Highlander lead to as many as two late in the set, 22-20 but NJIT scored the final three out of four points to record the home sweep on Senior Day with a 25-21 victory.
Charleston's Garret Schnitker combined for 10 kills, six digs and two block assists.
NJIT will return to action April 5 when the Highlanders visit No. 15 Princeton. First spike slated for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
Earlier this season, the Tigers defeated NJIT 3-1 in Newark by tight scores.