 |
 Leonardo Paludo |
March 21, 2008
STOCKTON, CA - Host Pacific came away with a 3-1 win Friday night over NJIT, which was playing the third of four straight matches against opponents from the other two men's volleyball regions of the country.
The Highlanders, who play in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, last weekend visited Lewis and Loyola-Chicago of the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association.
This weekend, the Highlanders are in California to play a two-match series at Pacific of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, the western circuit that has produced 21 of the 22 final number one teams since the national poll began in 1986.
Pacific, which will entertain NJIT again on Saturday night at 7 pm Pacific Standard Time, won the first match of the weekend series, 30-24, 31-33, 30-23 and 33-31.
Leonardo Paludo's 20 kills topped the four Highlanders who reached double-figure kills totals. Amobi Armstrong had 18 kills and five errors in 41 swings for a .317 hitting percentage, while Eduardo Welter picked up 15 kills. Charles Bell had a strong .375 attack percentage, notching 10 kills with four errors in 16 tries.
Setter Rodrigo Correa triggered the Highlanders offense with 56 assists, while Paludo, Welter and Bell each collected a service ace.
On defense, Welter had 12 digs, while Paludo and libero Chris Siddayao each picked up 11 digs and Correa finished with 10. Bell was NJIT's blocking leader, with five (one solo and four assists), followed by Armstrong, who had four block assists.
Pacific's attack, with three players posting double-figure totals, was less diverse than NJIT's, but the Tigers didn't have to be, thanks to Pekka Seppanen, who finished with a match-best 27 kills. Kris Staks had 59 assists, while Seppanen also led the floor defense for the Tigers with a match-best 15 digs.
Pacific, which had a decisive 14.5-to-8 advantage in team blocks, was paced by Blake Gentry's nine individual blocks (one solo, eight assists).
