NEWARK, NJ - In the team's third trip to the NJIT Wellness and Event Center, the St. Francis Brooklyn men's volleyball team showed its continued growth in the program's fourth season. St. Francis made its first first trip to Newark since the two teams shared a season as members of the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA)
The Terriers scored the program's first win over the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Highlanders in a 3-2 battle on Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Highlanders trotted out a refreshed lineup on the second half of a back-to-back after dropping a competitive battle against future St. Francis opponent Loyola Chicago.
It was a back and forth affair in the first set with the Terriers working to tie the set late at 20-all behind two of Patrick Rogers' four aces in opening stanza.
NJIT scored five of the next six points to take the first set, 25-21.
The Terriers staked their claim on the second set with a 4-0 run to take their largest lead in either set to that point, 12-8. The hosts had an answer for every run, even with set point in view. St. Francis, up 23-20, fended off a late NJIT charge as the Highlands scored four straight to take the lead. Canyon Tuman gave the Terriers a 25-24 advantage and a pair of Highlander errors secured the second set win for the Terriers.
St. Francis showed it's teeth again in the third set, logging a match-high 15 kills. The Terriers' Bartek Zielinski swung for one of his seven kills to take a 15-10 lead. NJIT had the answer deep into the third as the Highlanders scored the final two points after SFBK tied the set at 25-all.
The two sides traded points through the open of the fourth set but Rogers would step up again to give the Terriers their biggest lead of the fourth, logging four consecutive kills to put his team up 9-6. NJIT chipped away at the Terrier lead through the set but a pair of attacking errors would put the Highlanders in front, 15-14. St. Francis took advantage of three Highlander errors to tie the set on three successive points, but NJIT showed its strength down the stretch. The hosts took seven of the last nine points of the set to seal the victory in the fourth.
TEAM LEADERS
Patrick Rogers put his name in Terrier history books in his debut, setting a program mark with 20 kills, the most in a debut for St. Francis. The freshman hit .317 on 41 attempts and added four aces and six digs.
Matt Mongin set a new season-high with 42 assists, adding five digs and an ace.
Nicola Iannelli paced the Terriers with 14 digs.
NEXT UP: The Terriers embark on a Chicagoland road trip, facing Lewis on Jan. 27 and Loyola Chicago on Jan. 28.