NEWARK, NJ – Junior right side Kenneth de Groh hit .706 with 13 kills to as Rutgers-Newark hit a sizzling .424 as a team to sweep past NJIT, 25-21, 25-22, 25-17 in an EIVA match in The Golden Dome.

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

In the non-divisional contest, senior setter Jeff Zornig fueled the attack with 41 assists while adding four assisted blocks, an ace and two kills in the Scarlet Raiders' season opener.

Junior right side Austin Pappas added a dozen kills, two aces, five digs and a solo block for Rutgers-Newark while junior outside hitter Marcin Midura contributed nine kills, and ace and an a blocking assists.

Junior right side Adam Gustafson and freshman middle hitter Kevin Van Oss paced the Highlanders (1-4) with six kills apiece while sophomore setter Matthew Lui assisted on 20 of NJIT's 22 kills.

The Raiders committed 25 service errors against four aces to keep things close.

The Rutgers-Newark attack got progressively more potent with the squad hitting .267 (14-6-30) in the opening game, .412 (18-4-34) in the second, and .667 (16-2-21) in the third win in 70 minutes.

Junior outside hitter Grant Metheny and sophomore middle hitter Brett Pickens each hit .571 for the Raiders.

Junior transfer libero Zack Chambers came up with a match-high six digs in his first game in Scarlet & Black. Reserve middle hitter Parth Vedawala pounded down three kills in as many swings.

Rutgers-Newark welcomes back 17 former men's volleyball player for the annual Alumni Game tomorrow at 4 p.m. in The Golden Dome before hosting Philadelphia Biblical at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.