NEWARK, NJ – Rutgers-Newark fell to Princeton, 3-2, in an EIVA match in The Golden Dome when the Scarlet Raiders failed to put away the Tigers after taking a 2-1 lead.  Game scores were 22-25, 25-17, 16-25, 25-18, 15-12.

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

Rutgers-Newark (4-5, EIVA 1-3) was paced by senior right side Austin Pappas with 16 kills, a match-high 11 digs, two solo blocks and a pair of assisted blocks.  Junior middle hitter Brett Pickens posted 13 kills while getting in on two blocks, and senior outside hitter Grant Metheny added a dozen kills, two aces, three assisted blocks and eight digs.

Freshman setter Manuel Felipez tallied 45 assists, three kills, two assisted blocks and eight digs while senior outside hitter Marcin Midura totaled 10 points on eight kills and two aces.  Rookie outside hitter Lorenzo Samin chipped in five kills and two aces while getting in on a team-high five blocks.

Freshman outside hitter Cody Kessel hammered down 19 kills to pace Princeton.  Senior middle blocker Michael Dye posted five of his 13 kills in the fifth game, including a kill which gave Princeton (3-3, EIVA 2-1) the lead for good at 12-11. Senior setter Scott Liljestrom, who posted 45 assists, got in on back-to-back blocks to put the Tigers at match point before a kill by freshman middle blocker Will Siroky ended the night.  Siroky hit .474 (10 kills, one error, 19 attacks), delivered an ace and got in on three blocks.

Metheny had five kills and Pappas, four, as the Raiders won game one by hitting .400 (15-3-30), but the Tigers roared back to level the match with Kessel leading a balanced assault with three kills in the second frame.

The Raiders hit .417 (14-4-24) in the third set with Pickens hammering down six kills, but Princeton bounced back in the fourth game Dye and sophomore outside hitter Davis Waddell had three kills apiece.

Rutgers-Newark visits the Coles Athletic Center in New York on Saturday to take on host New York University and Ramapo in a non-conference tri-match.  The Raiders face Ramapo at 2:30 p.m. before squaring off against NYU at 5.