NEWARK, NJ–Freshman
Wiktor Nowak recorded a career-best 19 kills as the Highlanders rallied back to secure the 3-2 home victory over visiting Queens (NC) Friday evening in men's volleyball non-conference action inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center.
NJIT, winners of two in a row, move to 2-2 on the young season while Queens (NC) falls to 5-2.
The Highlanders won the first set 25-17 behind a .417 team hitting percentage but Queens rallied and took the next two frames, 25-19 and 25-18 to go up 2-1. The Highlanders cruised to a 25-15 victory in the fourth frame after hitting .654 for the set, forcing a fifth and deciding set.
In the fifth and deciding set, both teams went back and forth with the Highlanders using a 6-1 run for a 11-6 advantage capped by a pair of aces from Victor Nowak. The Highlanders pushed its lead to 13-7 and the final point of the match came from a kill by Antonio Feliciano for a 15-11 win to secure the 3-2 victory.
In addition to Nowak's career-best 19 kills, Feliciano posted 13 kills followed by Alessandro Negri (11) and reigning EIVA Defensive Player of the Week Braeden Goebbert (10).
Nowak finished the night hitting .342 while Goebbert, who entered the match ranked second in the nation in hitting percentage (and first in EIVA) combined for a .529 hitting percentage.
Feliciano registered his first career double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs and libero Diogo Lopez and Nowak each added seven digs.
Freshman setter Bruno Figueiredo piled up a career-best 50 assists and added five digs. Nowak led the Highlanders with three service aces.
NJIT took control of the first frame 8-5 on a kill by Andrew Fedmasu and increased its lead to 14-11 behind back-to-back errors by Queens (NC). Late in the frame, NJIT used an 8-2 spurt to close out the first frame 25-17 paced by Wiktor Nowak with four kills on eight attempts for a .500 hitting percentage.
Queens got things going in the second set, jumping out to a 5-1 lead. The Royals increased its lead to 8-4 but the Highlanders scored the next four points and pulled within two, 9-7, on three straight kills. Three consecutive points in the early teens, NJIT slimmed the lead to one, 11-10. A short run by the visitors pushed the Royals ahead by four, 17-13, resulting in an NJIT timeout. A 4-1 spurt for Queens gave the Royals a five-point advantage, 21-15 and held on for a 25-19 win to even the match at 1-1.
The Royals continued its momentum into the third frame, taking a 8-2 lead. NJIT went on a 4-1 run to close the gap to within three, 9-6. Queens pushed its lead to seven, 17-10, behind a 8-4 spurt. The Highlanders rallied back and cut the lead to four, 19-15, on a double block by Andrew Fedmasu and Wiktor Nowak. The Royals finished off the frame on a 4-1 spurt to go up 2-1 with a 25-18 victory.
NJIT went on a 10-3 run early in the frame to take a seven-point advantage for a 14-7 lead behind four consecutive points. The Highlanders stayed in control and went on to win 25-15 forcing a fifth and deciding set.
Queens was led by Carson Strawbirdge with 16 kills while Cayden Marin combined for 39 assists and Chance Shampine recorded a team-best 10 digs.
NJIT will be back in action on Saturday night, hosting Saint Francis U at 7pm.
