NEWARK, N.J. – Rutgers-Newark pushed Kean University to the limit Wednesday night at The Golden Dome, but ultimately fell in four sets (25-22, 25-23, 15-25, 25-21) in a hard-fought conference matchup.

The Scarlet Raiders (14-5, 2-1) showed resilience throughout the night, responding after dropping the opening two sets by delivering a dominant third-set performance. Rutgers-Newark hit .364 in the frame and jumped out to an early lead it never surrendered, cruising to a 25-15 win to extend the match.

Kean (17-7, 2-0) answered in the fourth set, using timely offense and key blocks down the stretch to pull away late and secure the victory.

Rutgers-Newark stayed within striking distance early, with each of the first two sets decided by just two points. Despite strong stretches and competitive rallies, the Scarlet Raiders were unable to capitalize late as Kean closed out both sets.

Aleks Kolodziej and Michael Suarez led the way with 17 kills apiece, powering the Scarlet Raiders offense throughout the match. Massimo Roco anchored the defense with a dominant presence at the net, finishing with nine total blocks. Duncan Sturt directed the offense with 45 assists while adding a steady presence in all phases.

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