Box Score

UNION, NJ – Rutgers-Newark clawed out a hard-fought 3-0 win over Kean University in the Harwood Arena behind a balanced attack.  Game scores were 25-22, 25-19, 25-23.

Freshman outside hitter Jack Fredricks led the Scarlet Raiders (2-1) with eight kills, two aces and a solo block for 11 points while senior middle hitter Brett Pickens and sophomore opposite Travis Mintzer notched 9.5 points apiece.  Pickens hit .364 with six kills on 11 swings while adding a pair of aces, a solo block and a blocking assist.  Mintzer hammered down seven kills while getting in on three of Rutgers-Newark's five blocks.

Sophomore middle hitter Cody Chidsey helped the Raiders hit .228 by pounding down six kills with just one error on only eight attacks.

Sophomore setter Kevin McCandless distributed 22 assists and added six digs while junior Alex Barnhard, who transferred from Kean in the fall, collected eight assists and an ace.

Freshman libero Ryan Yamashita came up with eight digs as the Raiders used a 29-21 edge in the category to gain the victory over the Cougars (0-1).

Junior middle blocker Kyle Farley and junior outside hitter Bez Arslani each totaled eight kills and 11 points for Kean which saw its season-opener spoiled for the second season in a row by the Raiders.  Junior setter Ron Dunn tallied 22 assists for Kean.

In the first set, Fredricks roped back-to-back aces to cap a 5-0 Raider spurt which turned a 16-13 deficit into a 2-point advantage.  The Cougars cut the Rutgers-Newark lead to a point four times before a Kean service error followed by a Fredricks kill ended the frame.  Fredricks, Chidsey and Mintzer had three kills apiece in the game while Pickens joined Fredricks with a pair of aces.

There were 10 ties and three lead changes in the second game before Pickens notched a pair of kills to spark a decisive 7-0 run which staked the Raiders to a 19-13 lead.  Once again, Fredricks closed out the set with a kill.

In the final game, Yamashita posted four of the team's 13 digs as Rutgers-Newark held off a late Kean rally to complete the sweep on Fredricks's third set-ending kill.

Rutgers-Newark now enjoys a 13-day break before hosting Valley Forge Christian College in The Golden Dome Arena on February 4 at 7 p.m.