Box Score

 
BANNER ELK, NC—Lees-McRae had three players reach double-figures in the kills category led by Jose Ribas (15 kills), as the NJIT men's volleyball team fell short Friday, 3-2, in men's volleyball non-conference action.
 
NJIT won its two sets by identical scores in the first and third frame, 25-20, but lost in the second set, 25-22 and fourth 26-24, before the Bobcats took the fifth frame 15-12 for the match.
 
In the first meeting of the season, the Highlanders defeated the Bobcats in Newark, 3-1, on January 28.
 
Lees-McRae's Ribas who shared match-high honors with NJIT's Aurel Griesshammer, finished the marathon match with a team-high 15 kills followed by 14 from John Lucas and 10 from Matt Harpenau.
 
Setter Randy Ramirez piled up a match-high 54 assists while Chris Flood and Edmund Walkley notched 13 and 10 digs respectively for the home team.
 
In front of the net, Harpenau posted a match-high six block assists followed by Ramirez's five block assists.
 
NJIT's attack was paced Friday by its two German freshme -- Griesshammer with 15 kills and Chris Kaepernick with 11 kills. Griesshammer added six digs and three total blocks for the Highlanders.
 
Setter Adam Gustafson posted a double-double with 43 assists and 12 digs while libero Brady Smith dug-up a match-high 17 digs followed by Gustafson's 12.
 
NJIT jumped out to an early 11-6 lead to begin the first set and pushed its lead to 22-16 on a Bobcat attack error.  Lees-McRae scored the next four points of the match pulling within two of the Highlanders, 22-20 on a kill by Ramirez.  After a timeout by head coach Ryan McNeil, NJIT cruised to a 25-20 victory, scoring the final three points of the set.
 
The third set seesawed back and forth early until the Highlanders rallied off five straight points for a 17-13 lead.  Lees-McRae closed the gap to within three, 20-17, on a kill by Flood.  NJIT answered with a 5-3 run to close out the set, 25-20. 
 
In the final frame, there were four ties, the last at 12-12 on a service error by the visitors.  The Bobcats finished the match on a 3-0 run  to secure a 15-12 victory.
 
The Highlanders will return to action on Saturday at Kings (TN) at 3pm.