STEVENSON, Md. (February 6, 2016) - The No. 3 Rutgers University-Newark men's volleyball team saw its undefeated run to start to the 2016 season come to an end Saturday night as 13th-ranked Stevenson University defeated the Scarlet Raiders, 3-0.

The Mustangs improve to 5-2 overall and 2-0 in the Continental Volleyball Conference (CVC), while the Scarlet Raiders fall to 8-1 overall and 0-1 in the CVC.

The set scores Saturday night were 25-17, 25-19 and 25-22 in favor of Stevenson.

Stevenson 25, Rutgers-Newark 17
Back-to-back kills from senior opposite Travis Mintzer and junior outside Jack Fredricks helped R-N to an early 6-4 lead, but the hosts responded with a 7-3 rally to take an 11-9 lead 20 points into the opening set.

The two sides would trade points before a 5-0 spurt from Stevenson pushed the lead to seven (18-11), and the Scarlet Raiders could get no closer than five in falling down 1-0.

Stevenson 25, Rutgers-Newark 19
The Mustangs raced out to an early 9-5 lead, and the Scarlet Raiders sliced into the margin to get within two at 11-9 following kills from senior setter Kevin McCandless and sophomore outside Corey Pieper. Moments later a McCandless ace made it a one-point set at 14-13, but a 3-0 spurt for Stevenson quickly pushed the advantage back to four (17-13).

The Mustangs would eventually close things out, scoring four of the final five points in the second to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Stevenson 25, Rutgers-Newark 22
R-N doubled up Stevenson early, and a service ace from senior middle Cody Chidsey made it 8-6 in favor of the Scarlet Raiders.

With R-N holding a 16-15 edge following a combo block from Fredricks and Chidsey, Stevenson was able to run off four-straight points to overtake the lead at 19-16. A Fredricks hammer and Mustang error helped Rutgers back within one, but Stevenson had the answer with two quick points to go back up three, and the Scarlet Raiders could get no closer than two the rest of the set.

Rutgers-Newark was led by nine kills apiece from Fredricks and Mintzer, with Chidsey scoring eight. Chidsey had a team-high four blocks, with McCandless dishing out 30 assists. Senior libero Quocmy Nguyen had nine digs and Mintzer had seven scoops as the Scarlet Raiders had 27 in the match to go with 34 assists, eight blocks, two aces and 38 kills.

Stevenson had 42 kills, one ace, eight blocks, 38 helpers and 23 digs.

Rutgers-Newark hit .160 overall, while the Mustangs converted at a .345 clip and committed just 12 errors in the match. Junior middle Nick Kuti hit .333 in getting six kills and two blocks, and Chidsey's eight hammers came on the strength of a .316 attacking percentage. Freshman Jason Gardener and freshman Landon Shorts led Stevenson with a combined 24 kills, and veteran Rob Wingert dished out 36 assists.

The Scarlet Raiders - who put together a remarkable start to the 2016 season that featured wins over the second and third ranked teams in the nation - will return home to The Golden Dome Arena Tuesday night at 7 p.m. when they host CVC foe Cairn University. It will be the team's first home match since January 16.