New York, N.Y. — The Rutgers–Newark men's volleyball team battled nationally ranked No. 8 NYU on Tuesday night at the John A. Paulson Center, ultimately falling in four sets. The Violets claimed the opening two frames by scores of 25-18 and 25-20, but the Scarlet Raiders continued to compete and kept pressure on the home team throughout the match.

The third set turned into a high-scoring, back-and-forth battle that stretched deep into extra points, featuring extended rallies and momentum swings on both sides. Rutgers–Newark matched NYU point for point in the marathon frame, showing composure and toughness before finally breaking through with a 43-41 win to extend the match.

NYU regrouped in the fourth set and closed out the match with a 25-17 victory to secure the 3-1 decision. Despite the result, Rutgers–Newark delivered a complete team effort and gained valuable experience against elite competition, showing resilience and flashes of high-level play as the season continues.

Harry Tayki led the Scarlet Raiders offensively with 14 kills, while also contributing seven digs and three total blocks. Aleks Kolodziej and Adrian Marke followed closely with 13 kills apiece, as Kolodziej added 10 digs and Marke chipped in four total blocks at the net. Setter Duncan Sturt once again surpassed his career high in assists, dishing out 54 assists while adding four kills of his own to guide the Rutgers–Newark attack.

The Scarlet Raiders will have a week off before they travel for their next matchup with the Golden Eagles of St. Josephs (LI) on February 11th. 

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