NJIT Sweeps Season Series from LIU
The NJIT men's volleyball team won its fourth consecutive match, sweeping the season series from LIU, 3-0, Saturday afternoon in men's volleyball action inside Stratis Arena on the campus of Fairleigh Dickinson.
NJIT, winners of four straight, improved to 4-2 on the season while LIU moved to 3-7.
The Highlanders swept the Sharks 25-17, 25-22 and 25-22.
NJIT's Alessandro Negri led the visitors with 10 kills followed by Jens Feldthus (8) and Nolan Wollmer (7). Feldthus combined for a .538 hitting percentage. Freshman Antonio Feliciano was perfect for the second straight match, notching three kills on three swings.
Griffin Fieseler and Roque Nido split time at the setting position, recording 11 assists each while Mason Matos added eight assists.
Negri led all players with three aces and defensively, Martin de Chavarria led all players with four block assists. Middle Carson Williams added three total blocks (one solo, two assists).
Libero Will Andrews paced the Highlanders with seven digs followed by Fieseler, Feliciano, Negri and Feldthus with four digs.
LIU's Kade Frischknecht shared match-high honors with NJIT's Negri with 10 kills. Gio Collaza posted a match-best 10 digs on the defensive end.
In the first set, NJIT held a three-point advantage throughout the frame, until a tied match at 17-all on a kill by Julian Meissner, which sparked an 8-0 run, concluding the set with a 25-17 victory.
LIU jumped out to a 6-2 advantage in the second set but the Highlanders rallied back, knotting the match at 12-all and going up four, 17-14, behind a pair of kills by Feldthus. NJIT pushed its advantage to 22-17 and scored the last two out of three points on kills from Negri for a 25-22 victory.
In the third set, both teams traded points into the mid-teens with the Highlanders, scoring four straight points to take a 15-11 lead, resulting in an LIU timeout. NJIT maintained at least a three-point advantage the rest of the way and secured the 3-0 sweep with a 25-22 victory.
NJIT will open EIVA Conference action next weekend, Friday, Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. when the Highlanders host George Mason inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.