NEW YORK – Senior middle hitter Jon Keller hit .722 with 13 kills, seven assisted blocks and a service ace to help Rutgers-Newark to a 3-0 win over NYU in Coles Sports Center in the EIVA Hay opener for each squad. Set scores were 33-31, 30-24, 30-25. 

Rutgers-Newark 3, NYU 0 

Keller committed no attack errors on 18 swings and helped the Scarlet Raiders (1-2, EIVA Hay 1-0) earn an 11.0-to-9.0 edge in blocks. NYU (0-3, EIVA Hay 0-1) fell despite piling up a dozen more kills than the Raiders, but Rutgers-Newark delivered seven more aces than the Violets.

Senior outside hitter Nate Stott roped five aces, pounded down eight kills, got in on six blocks and handled 17 service receptions without an error while sophomore Marcin Midura chipped in five kills while receiving 18 serves without a mistake.

Junior setter Liran Shapiro fueled the attack with 31 assists while also making a team-high five digs. Sophomore outside hitter Kenneth de Groh added four kills and three aces for seven points.

Cooper Gwaltney paced NYU with match highs of 14 kills and eight digs while Francis Hodgson added nine kills, two solo blocks and four assisted blocks.

A Keller kill broke the 31-31 tie in the opening set and set the stage for the decisive ace by Stott. Stott made all five of his aces in the opening frame to offset an 18-11 edge in kills by the Violets. Keller notched five kills on seven swings in the set.

In the second set, Keller again had five kills on seven attacks without an error and added an ace as Rutgers-Newark hit a solid .348 (13 kills, 5 errors, 23 attacks) to take control of the match.

De Groh had four kills and all three of his aces in the final set while Keller and Stott posted three kills apiece to complete the sweep.

Rutgers-Newark visits IPFW on Friday at 7 p.m. and Ball State on Saturday at 7:30 in a pair of matches against MIVA opponents.