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 Amobi Armstrong had 18 kills |
March 20, 2007
NEWARK, NJ - New Jersey Institute of Technology dealt Vassar some wicked early blows, but the coup de grace was delayed in coming for the Highlanders, who eventually subdued visiting Vassar, 3-1, in non-league men's volleyball action Tuesday night in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.
The Highlanders were playing their first home match since a California trip that saw them lose to a pair of national top 10 teams (Pacific and Cal State Northridge). Back in New Jersey, they roared to 30-17 and 30-12 wins in the first two games, before jumping to a big early lead, including 16-8, in game three.
However, the visiting Brewers fought every point the rest of the night and came back to claim a 36-34 win in game three. NJIT finally claimed the match with a 30-27 win in game four.
The win was the 13th of the season for NJIT, matching the program's highest season win total since the 2000 squad posted a 16-12 mark. The 13-6 Highlanders have nine regular season contests left in 2007.
Vassar is 8-11, with two losses this season to NJIT, which topped the Brewers, 3-1, in February at Vassar.
The team statistics belied the close nature of the match's final two games. NJIT had a .431 team attack percentage, while dominating the serving game (12 aces to 4 for Vassar) and at the net (9-4 in team blocks).
The Highlanders had four players with double-figure kills totals, led by Amobi Armstrong's 18. Following closely were Eduardo Welter (16 kills) and Leonardo Paludo (15). Greg Wagner added 11 kills without an error in 17 swings for a .647 attack percentage. Armstrong and Welter were both over .400 attacking and Paludo's hitting percentage was .375 on 15 kills and three errors in 32 attempts.
Rodrigo Correa had 45 assists for the Highlanders, while Mike Nonnenmann came in at setter part way through game four and collected 13 assists to help finish off the visitors. Paludo led NJIT with 13 digs, while Welter and Charles Bell had six blocks apiece.
For Vassar, Scott Leserman led the attack with 17 kills, followed by Tom Pawlowski (10). John Kessenich picked up 37 assists and slipped five kills past NJIT on seven attempts.
Leserman's four aces were tops for the visitors, while libero Kyle Giunta had a match-best 14 digs and Kessenich chipped in 11 digs. Steve Micucci's three blocks paced the Brewers.
NJIT rolled to a 30-17 win in game one, making just two attack errors and firing four service aces. Game two was even more lopsided, with the Highlanders blasting 10 kills without an error in 16 attacks, along with six service aces in a 30-12 win.
The third game was looking like more of the same, as NJIT took leads of 4-0, 6-1, 9-3, 12-5 and 16-8, before the Brewers answered with an 8-1 spurt, closing the deficit to 16-17.
The momentum stayed with Vassar and the Brewers eventually took their first lead of the match at 20-19. Still, the Highlanders appeared to regain the momentum and built a 28-23 lead.
Two points away from a 0-3 defeat, Vassar battled back with a 7-2 spurt, tying the score, 30-30 on Phil Tully's kill.
The Highlanders took a one point lead three different times, but match point continued to elude them before the Brewers finally snapped a 34-34 tie with a quick kill by the setter Kessenich off a back row dig and then game point on a service ace for Leserman.
Unlike the drastic momentum swings in game three, game four was close throughout, with the Highlanders taking control late for a 30-27 win, led by Armstrong's six kills.
NJIT's next match is a non-conference road contest at SUNY-New Paltz, scheduled for a 7 pm start Thursday in New Paltz, NY.
