AVCA Poll Release | CVC Standings | Rutgers-Newark Stats

NEWARK, N.J. (February 25, 2016) - Rutgers University-Newark men's volleyball - ranked fourth in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Top-15 - will host a pair of key Continental Volleyball Conference (CVC) Volleyball matches Friday and Saturday in The Golden Dome Arena.

Up first will be a matchup with No. 15 and perennial power Juniata College on Friday night at 7 p.m. and next will be a showdown with Thiel College Saturday at 2 p.m.

The Scarlet Raiders went 1-1 against Juniata in 2015, and Head Men's Volleyball Coach Pedro Trevino knows the Eagles will be a very tough challenge for his team.

"Juniata started this year a little bit slower than normal, but they are playing really well right now. They are back in the national rankings, have won 3-of-4 and will definitely be looking to knock us off. We need to come out ready to play from the start."

The Eagles won 3-of-4 at their own invitational last weekend, toppling then-No. 4 Nazareth College, 3-0 in the process. The lone loss came at the hands of national No. 2 SUNY New Paltz, and Juniata has won five of its last seven matches overall.

No. 7 Stevenson University is first in the CVC standings at 7-0, giving the Scarlet Raiders their only loss of the season and defeating Juniata as well. Rutgers-Newark is second (14-1 overall, 3-1 CVC), Marymount University is third (3-2) and Juniata is fourth (2-2).

Sophomore outside Corey Pieper led the Scarlet Raiders to wins in three matches last week, earning CVC Player of the Week honors and Rutgers-Newark will put a six-match winning streak on the line Friday night. During that streak, R-N has won five of the matches 3-0 and is 18-1 in its last 19 sets played.

Senior libero Quocmy Nguyen is leading the conference in digs (115), Pieper is second in aces per set (.71) and senior setter Kevin McCandless is second in assists per set (10.02). Senior opposite Travis Mintzer checks in fourth in the conference in kills (144) as the hyper-balanced Scarlet Raider attack has four players with 90-plus kills and three with 128 or more. Junior middle Nick Kuti is No. 2 in the CVC in blocks per set (1.18), while veteran middle Cody Chidsey is No. 5 in hitting percentage (.420).

Admission to The Golden Dome Arena is free for volleyball matches and all the weekend action can be followed live via links at www.rutgersnewarkathletics.com.