Post Game Interview

NEWARK, NJ—NJIT's TJ Jurko and Jabarry Goodridge combined for 26 kills en route to a 3-0 sweep against visiting, Holy Names (CA), Tuesday evening in men's volleyball non-conference action at the Fleisher Athletic Center.

NJIT returned to the win column Tuesday, winning in straight sets 25-20, 25-23 and 25-18, improving to 3-13 on the season while Holy Names dropped its third straight match, falling to 1-14 on the season.

The Highlanders finished the match with a .303 hitting percentage paced by junior outside hitter Jabarry Goodridge with 14 kills followed by redshirt senior TJ Jurko, who combined for 12 kills on 27 swings with just three errors for a .333 hitting percentage.

Redshirt senior Brad Thele finished with a .545 hitting percentage with 6 kills on 11 attempts and no errors.  Redshirt sophomore Raymond Kowalski, who only played in the third set, combined for 4 kills on 6 attempts for NJIT.

Sophomore setter Cameron Tait piled up a match-best 36 assists, shared a team-high six digs with Jurko and added four block assists.  Freshman libero Chris Wise posted five digs and six assists.

In front of the net, the Highlanders held a 9.5-to-3.0 team blocking advantage paced by redshirt junior Luke Robbe with five total blocks (one solo, four assists).  Tait and senior middle Raphael Anthony each produced four block assists.

NJIT held a slight 4-to-3 service ace advantage led by Jurko with a match-high four aces.  Holy Names Kyle Cazares combined for two of the Hawks three aces.

Cazares, the Hawks senior outside hitter, notched a match-high 15 kills and added five digs.  Setter Trevor Robinson recorded 29 assists while Alfonso Meza-Ramos led the match with seven digs.

The Highlanders took control of the first set early, jumping out to a 6-2 lead, on back-to-back service aces by Jurko.  NJIT extended its lead to six, 19-13, after three consecutive points by the Highlanders.  NJIT pushed
its lead to 23-17 and closed out the match on a kill by Goodridge for a 25-20 victory.  Goodridge led the set with five kills followed by Jurko with four.

The second set, which saw nine ties and five lead changes, saw its final tie at 23-23 after a kill by Holy Names Cazares.  The Highlanders scored back-to-back kills by Robbe and Jurko for a 25-23 victory.  Goodridge combined for nine kills in the set.

NJIT, which hit an impressive .414 in the third set, took a 5-1 lead, resulting in a timeout by Holy Names.  The Hawks rallied back to tie the score on three occasions, the final at 10-10.  NJIT answered with a 5-1 spurt, extending the Highlanders lead to 15-11 and cruised to a 25-18 victory.

NJIT will return to EIVA conference action on Friday when the Highlanders host University of Charleston (WV) at 7pm.  The Golden Eagles enter the contest 0-7 in the EIVA while the Highlanders stand at 2-3, with victories over Sacred Heart and Harvard.