Box score
NEWARK, NJ—Grand Canyon came from Phoenix, AZ, to Newark and scored a 3-1 men's volleyball win over NJIT Saturday night in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.
The Antelopes, who compete in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, are 6-13 on the season. They will continue their second trip of the year to the East with games at Stevens on Monday and at NYU on Tuesday. Earlier in February, Grand Canyon played at the Hall of Fame Tournament in Springfield, MA.
NJIT drops to 3-10 with Saturday's loss.
Grand Canyon, which won the match by scores of 25-19, 17-25, 25-22, 25-18, got a match-high 18 kills from freshman outside hitter Ben Ponnet followed by junior Taylor Galliano's 11 kills.
Freshman setter Keith Smith picked up 35 assists, while Ponnet led the serving game with 3 aces.
On defense, freshman Ben Smith had 14 digs for the winning 'Lopes, while Galliano notched 6 blocks, all assisted, to lead the way at the net.
NJIT got 12 kills from Andrei Stoyanow and Adam Gustafson set 29 assists. Gustafson also served three of the four aces for the Highlanders.
Brady Smith shared match honors with 14 digs, while Kevin Van Oss, Gustasfon and Rafal Kierznowski all had four blocks apiece for the Highlanders. Gustafson had two block solos and two block assists, while Kierznowski had a block solo and a block assist and Van Oss had four block assists. NJIT enjoyed a slim team blocking advantage of 12-10.
Grand Canyon won the first set from start to finish and there was only one tie in the second set, as the Highlanders knotted the match at a set apiece.
The third set, which gave the visiting Antelopes the upper hand, featured 10 ties and six lead changes before Grand Canyon prevailed, 25-22. The last tie was at 17-17, but three straight NJIT errors put the visitors on top to stay. After falling behind by three, the Highlanders got no closer than two the rest of the set.
Grand Canyon took charge in what would be the clinching set, opening up 7-1 and never allowing NJIT to get closer then three (last time at 9-12) after that.
The Highlanders will play their next four matches away, beginning with a Tuesday visit to Sacred Heart in Fairfield, CT. The Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Hay Division match is scheduled for a 7 pm start. NJIT is 0-2 in the Hay and the Pioneers are 2-1 in the division and 6-3 overall.
