CVC Standings

Rutgers-Newark Stats | Stevenson Stats

Previous Meeting - Stevenson 3, Rutgers-Newark 0

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NEWARK, N.J. (March 23, 2016) - The fifth-ranked Rutgers University-Newark men's volleyball team will host No. 7 Stevenson University in a crucial Continental Volleyball Conference (CVC) showdown Friday night in The Golden Dome Arena at 7 p.m.

It will be the Scarlet Raiders' first home match since a 3-1 CVC victory over Eastern Mennonite University on March 5, and it will be the third matchup of top-15 teams in Newark this season - the Scarlet Raiders defeated then-No. 2 and current No. 4 Stevens Institute of Technology on January 16 (3-0) and topped then-No. 15 Juniata College on February 26 (3-0).

Overall, Rutgers-Newark is 3-1 against nationally-ranked opponents, earning wins over Stevens, Juniata and Nazareth College, but falling to the Mustangs in Maryland back on February 6 in the CVC opener for both schools.

Stevenson and the Scarlet Raiders are the top-two teams in the conference as the Mustangs will put an unbeaten 10-0 mark on the line Friday (22-6 overall), while the Scarlet Raiders boast a conference record of 7-2 (19-2 overall). R-N is coming off a 3-0 sweep of Cairn University on Tuesday, while the Mustangs topped Marymount University, 3-1 on Wednesday.

When it comes to the national ranks, the Scarlet Raiders are third in the nation in hitting percentage (.346), fourth in winning percentage (.905), seventh in kills per set (12.55), ninth in blocks per set (2.31) and 13th in assists per set (11.40). Rutgers-Newark ranks No. 1 in the conference in aces per set (1.83), hitting percentage, kills per set and overall won-loss percentage.

Individually, junior middle Nick Kuti is No. 4 in Division III in blocks per set (No. 1 in the CVC) with 1.18. Senior setter Kevin McCandless is sixth in the nation in assists per set, handing out a lofty 10.40 as the facilitator is a big reason Rutgers-Newark is third nationally in hitting percentage. Senior middle Cody Chidsey is eighth in hitting percentage (No. 2 CVC) at .435, and classmate Travis Mintzer is 29th (.358). Rutgers-Newark has a total of four players hitting .319 or better in Chidsey, Mintzer, Kuti and junior Jack Fredricks - all sitting top-50 nationally and top-10 in the conference.

Stevenson is in the top-10 nationally in five statistical categories, sitting fourth in blocks per set, sixth in hitting percentage, eighth in assists per set and ninth in both kills per set and won-loss percentage. The Mustangs pace the CVC in assists per set and blocks per set.

Rutgers-Newark and Stevenson played eachother three times last season and once earlier this season, and the Scarlet Raiders have won 3-of-4. R-N also was able to top the Mustangs in last season's CVC title match in 'The Dome', sending Newark to the NCAA Tournament and giving the Raiders their first conference title.

Admission to Friday night's match is free for all, and the match will start at 7 p.m. It will be the final CVC match the Scarlet Raiders play in The Golden Dome Arena, and fans will have only one more opportunity to watch the nationally-ranked Rutgers-Newark men's volleyball team in Newark - Tuesday, March 29 against New York University being the home finale.

Rutgers-Newark in the AVCA Ranks This Year...
Preseason - No. 8 (0-0)
Poll 1 - No. 5 (4-0)
Poll 2 - No. 3 (7-0)
Poll 3 - No. 5 (8-1)
Poll 4 - No. 5 (11-1)
Poll 5 - No. 4 (14-1)
Poll 6 - No. 4 (16-1)
Poll 7 - No. 5 (18-2)
Poll 8 - No. 5 (18-2)
Poll 9 - No. 5 (19-2)
Next Poll March 29