Box Score

FAIRFIELD, CT –Rutgers-Newark lost a 3-2 EIVA decision to Sacred Heart in the Pitt Center despite a career-high 23.5 points by freshman outside hitter Travis Mintzer.  Game scores were 25-22, 23-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-10, in the one-hour, 51-minute marathon.

Mintzer equaled his career-high with 16 kills while adding a match-high four aces, a solo block and four assisted blocks, but the Scarlet Raiders (4-18, EIVA 0-11) lost to the Pioneers (4-17, EIVA 2-10) for the second time in league play.

Freshman setter Adrian Lopez distributed 36 assists while dropped in five kills in seven attacks and adding eight digs for the Raiders while outside hitter Colin Ferguson added nine points on five kills, a pair of aces and four assisted blocks.  Ferguson also posted a team-high 10 digs.

Rookie middle hitter Cody Chidsey notched six kills, an ace and three assisted blocks while Nick Collins contributed five kills and eight digs.

Junior outside hitter Brad Borsay paced Sacred Heart with a match-high 24 points on 19 kills, three aces and four assisted blocks while junior right side Nick Hunt came up with 17 kills, three aces and 10 digs.  Freshman setter Benjamin Thomas fueled the Pioneer attack with 46 assists while freshman middle blocker Raymond Satagaj got in on eight blocks and added 11 kills.

The Raiders leveled the match twice after losing games to send the contest into a fifth frame.

After SHU took the opening set, Mintzer roped three aces and added three kills as Rutgers-Newark rebounded.  After the Pioneers rode six kills and an ace by Borsay to a game three win, Mintzer answered with six kills and an ace to make it 2-2.

In the fifth set, the Pioneers hit .429 (7 kills, 1 error, 14 attacks) to thwart the Raiders who are now 1-2 in five-set decisions.

Rutgers-Newark plays at Harvard at 2 p.m. on Saturday in another EIVA match.