NEWARK, NJ – Charles Bell's team-best 21 kills led NJIT in its season-opening 3-1 men's volleyball win over visiting East Stroudsburg Friday night in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.

NJIT scored a 30-24 win in set one, but the Warriors stormed back to win the next set 30-28.  The Highlanders gained the upper hand in the third set with a 30-21 win and clinched the match with an exciting 31-29 victory. 

Charles Bell was one of three Highlanders with double-figure kills' totals, as Amobi Armstrong notched 17 and freshman Raphael Mattos who appeared in his first collegiate match finished with 14.

Senior Rodrigo Correa got the start at setter and picked up 30 assists in three sets. Rookie Adam Gustafson piled up 21 assists in the final two.

Armstrong fired out three service aces and Bell added two for the Highlanders.  Bell led NJIT with 11 digs while freshman Glen De Maglahaes dug-up 10 in his debut.

NJIT was led by middle blocker Nick Jensen with five block assists and senior Robert Thomas with four block assists and one block solo, as NJIT had an advantage in front of the net, 21-9 in team blocking.

East Stroudsburg had a match-high 22 kills from Jon Daley. Levi Kauffman picked up 50 assists and RJ Roth led the Warriors with 15 digs. Don Hanna and Daley finished with two blocks apiece.

The Highlanders return to action on Tuesday, January 27 when they travel to NYU for a 7:00pm start.

In the last meeting between the teams, the Highlanders took a 3-1 victory on March 11 and were led by three players with double-figures kills totals, paced by Armstrong and Eduardo Welter with 18 kills apiece. Leonardo Paludo added 14 kills for NJIT.