NEWARK, N.J. (January 21, 2016) - The Rutgers University-Newark men's volleyball team will shorten its trip to Providence, R.I. and the Johnson and Wales University Tournament this weekend because of the impending snow storm in the Northeast.

The Scarlet Raiders (2-0) were originally slated to play four matches this weekend, but because of the weather will only play two matches on Friday - battling Endicott College at 6 p.m. and J&W at 8 p.m. Saturday's matches against Lasell College and Cairn University are canceled so the team can get back to Newark safely.

Rutgers-Newark - ranked eighth the nation according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association - started its 2016 with a bang, rolling to a 3-0 sweep of second-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology and doing the same to the College of Mount Saint Vincent.

The Scarlet Raiders battled Endicott in the first round of the 2015 NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championship, sweeping the Gulls at home for the first-ever NCAA Tournament win on Newark soil in Rutgers-Newark Athletic Department history.

R-N will play two matches Friday, three matches in the Kean University Tournament next weekend and two single matches on February 2 and 6 before returning home for a conference battle against Cairn University on February 9.

Scarlet Raiders fans should check www.rutgersnewarkathletics.com late Friday night for recaps, stats and more from the matches against EC and J&W. Both matches will have live stats which can be accessed at www.rutgersnewarkathletics.com as well.