Box Score

NEWARK, NJ – Freshman outside hitter Colin Ferguson totaled 10 kills, but an all-freshman Rutgers-Newark squad was no match for NJIT in an EIVA match in The Golden Dome.

With sophomore team leader Manuel Felipez watching in street clothes with his injured left thumb heavily bandaged, the Scarlet Raiders (4-17, EIVA 0-1) fell to the Highlanders (6-18, EIVA 3-7), 25-14, 25-16, 25-10 in their final home match of the season.

Ferguson added a solo block and an assisted block to post 11.5 points but no other Raider reached double digits in points against a veteran Highlander squad which completed its regular-season series sweep of Rutgers-Newark.

Outside hitter Travis Mintzer and right side Christopher Kopacz added five kills apiece for the Raiders while rookie setter Adrian Lopez distributed 18 assists and delivered an ace in two games.  Kevin McCandless notched an ace and five assists in the third frame.

Junior outside hitter Dhruv Lad pounded down a match-high 12 kills as NJIT hit .544 (42 kills, 5 errors, 68 attacks) and posted 10 blocks against the inexperienced Raiders.  Sophomore outside hitter Chris Kaepernick added seven kills while seniors Doug Battersby and Kevin Van Oss teamed for 16.5 points on nine kills, an ace five solo blocks and three assisted blocks.

The Highlanders notched an incredible 90 (38-42) sideout percentage.

Rutgers-Newark caps its season with four EIVA matches on the road beginning with a trip to Sacred Heart and Harvard next weekend.  The Raiders play at SHU at 7 p.m. on Friday and Harvard at 2 o'clock on Saturday.