NEWARK, N.J. (February 17, 2016) - Sophomore outside Corey Pieper had 12 kills, five digs, four aces and two blocks to lead the fifth-ranked Rutgers University-Newark men's volleyball team to a 3-0 sweep of Ramapo College Tuesday night in The Golden Dome Arena.

With the win, the Scarlet Raiders improve to 12-1 overall, while the Roadrunners drop to 4-7. Rutgers-Newark has now won its last four matches, dropping only one set during the streak.

Pieper led the Raiders in kills, blocks and aces, with senior opposite Travis Mintzer (nine) and junior outside Jack Fredricks (seven) combining for 16 kills. Pieper, senior middle Cody Chidsey and junior middle Nick Kuti each had two blocks, and senior setter Kevin McCandless piled up 31 assists. Senior libero Quocmy Nguyen picked up 11 digs, with Pieper and Mintzer each getting five in what was a business-like victory for Rutgers-Newark.

Rutgers-Newark hit .284 in the match and held Ramapo to an attacking percentage of .148, totaling 47 points, 37 kills, five aces, five blocks, 33 assists and 26 digs on the night.

Rutgers-Newark 25, Ramapo 19
Rutgers-Newark and Ramapo went back-and-forth at the start before a late run from the Scarlet Raiders gave the hosts a 1-0 lead. Up 20-18, the Scarlet Raiders slammed the door in the first by scoring five of the final six points. A Mintzer kill and Mintzer-Kuti block started the run and a Pieper hammer closed it, seemingly taking all the wind out of the Roadrunner sails.

Rutgers-Newark 25, Ramapo 18
The Scarlet Raiders raced out to a 4-0 lead behind the serve of Pieper and a kill from Fredricks, and the lead swelled to five (7-2) following a kill from Kuti.

Ramapo made a dent in the Scarlet Raider edge, getting within three points at 7-4, before a 4-0 spurt keyed by a Mintzer block and kills from Mintzer and Fredricks made it 11-4. The Roadrunners came back to get within five (16-11), but Rutgers responded with three of the next four points to go back up seven at 19-12 before cruising to the seven-point set win.

Rutgers-Newark 25, Ramapo 21
The start of the third mirrored the start of the second as the hosts ran out in front 5-1 thanks to back-to-back Pieper aces. After Ramapo fought its way within three (6-3), Rutgers-Newark all but clinched the set and the match with a 5-0 run on the back of McCandless' serve and two kills from Mintzer.

The Roadrunners came back with a 4-1 run late, but it was far too little too late as the Scarlet Raiders clinched their 12th win of the season on a Ramapo service error.

Mintzer's kills came via a hitting percentage of .444 and Pieper swung .381. Chidsey finished with five kills (.300).

The Scarlet Raiders will return to action with a doubleheader at the College of Staten Island Saturday, playing the host Dolphins and Rust College.