Brooklyn Brook 3-8,0-1 CUNYAC

Rutgers-Newark RUN 8-4,1-1 CVC

Brooklyn Brook

3-8,0-1 CUNYAC

Final

Feb. 15, 2025

Rutgers-Newark RUN

8-4,1-1 CVC

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	F
Brooklyn Brook	10	10	19	(0)
Rutgers-Newark RUN	25	25	25	(3)

St. Joseph's (L.I.) SJCLI 2-5,0-0 Skyline

Rutgers-Newark RUN 9-4,1-1 CVC

St. Joseph's (L.I.) SJCLI

2-5,0-0 Skyline

Final

Feb. 15, 2025

Rutgers-Newark RUN

9-4,1-1 CVC

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	4	5	F
St. Joseph's (L.I.) SJCLI	24	17	26	27	15	(2)
Rutgers-Newark RUN	26	25	24	25	17	(3)

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball | 2/15/2025 6:34:00 PM

Scarlet Raiders Narrowly Avoid Reverse Sweep En Route to 2-0 Day

NEWARK, NJ | Men's volleyball (9-4) breezed past Brooklyn College (3-9), but St. Joseph's-Long Island (2-5) put up a tough fight. Regardless, Rutgers-Newark escaped with a pair of victories at home.

Match 1: Rutgers-Newark 3, Brooklyn College 0 (25-10, 25-10, 25-19)

The Scarlet Raiders were not messing around in this matchup. Derek Au started the match behind the line, and he wouldn't step away until his team had taken an 8-0 advantage. Brooklyn College took a timeout, but it didn't benefit them much. Au got back to service and hit an ace to set the score at 19-7. It was a straightforward set one victory.

The Bulldogs had more to offer in the early stages of set number two. However, it was still the Scarlet Raiders who were on top. They led 7-4, and then 10-5 after a service error from Jiaian Flanders. Then, with an 11-7 edge, Rutgers-Newark put up NINE straight points to blow the set wide open. From there, it was a simple finish for 2-0.

Set number three was slightly more contentious. The visitors went up 3-1 early, but the hosts tied things up at five. From there, a seven point run gave the Scarlet Raiders a 12-5 lead that they would never relinquish. Alex Solodky was finding the floor with consistency, and with an 18-10 scoreline it seemed as though the match was over.

However, the Bulldogs had one last gasp. They took 8 of 11 and made things a bit more interesting. But in the end, the home team just had too much for Brooklyn College to handle. Evan Jazmin picked up a pair of aces right at the end, and Rutgers-Newark completed the sweep.

Match 2: Rutgers-Newark 3, St. Joseph's-Long Island 2 (26-24, 25-27, 24-26, 25-27, 17-15)

The start of set one contained many lead changes. At first it was 4-2 Scarlet Raiders, then the Golden Eagles went up 7-5. The hosts flipped it at 10-8, only for it to flip right back around at 13-11. The two teams then knotted things up at 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21. St. Joseph's grabbed a late lead, but Rutgers-Newark pulled the rug out from under them to snatch the set one victory right at the end. Vincent Lopez collected the final kill to seal it at 26-24.

Set number two was just the same as the first to start. Nothing could separate these two sides. That was, until Rutgers-Newark went on an 8-1 run and created a commanding 20-12 gap. The Golden Eagles pushed to get back into it, taking five of seven to get within five points, but it was too little too late as Lopez closed out once again.

Things were looking up for the home team in the third set as well. They jumped in front 10-5, but their opposition quickly cut down their lead. By the time the scores got into the teens, it was back to the intense back-and-forth that had been on display in the opening set. Yet the Scarlet Raiders still held onto a slight edge. They even had a set point at 24-22, but could not secure the clinching play. St. Joseph's rattled off four straight points on the brink of death to remarkably avoid a sweep and extend the game.

Set four was St. Joseph's right from the start. They took a 3-0 early lead and never once went behind. Rutgers-Newark was always close, and Aleks Kolodziej absolutely exploded to get his team within one point at 22-21. Kolodziej had the best game of his young career, ending the afternoon with an outstanding 24 kills. He, Michael Suarez, and Derek Au continued to make plays, but once again it was the Golden Eagles who found their form right at the end of the set. With the score set at 25-24 in favor of their opponent, they won three consecutive points to send this game all the way to set five.

It looked as though the visitors would carry their momentum all the way through. They went from being down 6-4 to up 8-6, and they were flying high. However, Kolodziej and Au were determined not to let this slip. They fought off match points at 14-13 and 15-14 to stay in the game. In the end, it was a pair of mistakes that doomed the Golden Eagles after a miraculous effort from being down two sets to none. It was an incredibly entertaining match, and a relieving win for Rutgers-Newark.

Up Next
The Scarlet Raiders next play this Tuesday, February 18th. They will travel to Jersey City, NJ to take on NJCU at 7:00 PM.

For the latest news, updates, and information on Rutgers-Newark sports, visit rutgersnewarkathletics.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Scarlet Raiders news by following Rutgers-Newark Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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