Box Score
 
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The IPFW men's volleyball team hit .351 for the match Friday evening over visiting NJIT, 3-0, in men's volleyball non-conference action at Gates Sports Center.
 
IPFW was led by Elon Fyfield's match-high 12 kills as the Mastodons took the Highlanders in straight sets Friday, 25-19, 25-22 and 25-18 improving to 9-6 overall.
 
Following Fyfield's match-high 12 kills was Ivan Matos with nine kills and nine digs while Eddie Rivera hit .312 for the match with six kills, one error on 16 swings to go along with seven digs. 
 
Corey Frain added five kills while Bryan Saunders combined for five kills with no errors on seven attempts for a .714 hitting percentage in two sets for the Mastodons.
 
Setter Omar Rivera piled up a team-high 32 assists while Saunders and Fyfield both recorded three block assists for the home team.
 
NJIT (6-9) was paced by sophomore Herman Kantushov's 10 kills and nine digs.  Middle Kevin Van Oss combined for a .467 hitting percentage with eight kills, one error and 15 swings for the Highlanders.  Freshmen Aurel Griesshammer and TJ Jurko both posted five kills apiece for NJIT.
 
Matthew Lui notched 34 assists for the match to go along with six digs and a match-high two service aces.  Libero Brady Smith dug-up a match-high 10 digs followed by Kantushov (9) and Lui and Van Oss with (6).
 
In the first set, neither team led by more than two up until an 11-11 tie, when IPFW took a 14-11 lead on an NJIT attack error.  IPFW would extend its lead to four, 17-13, as NJIT head coach Ryan McNeil called for a timeout.   The visitors drew to within three, 20-17, on a Mastodon service error but IPFW closed out on the set on a 5-2 run for a 25-19 victory.
 
In the second set, the Highlanders stayed close with IPFW early, as the Highlanders held a 10-7 advantage after a service error by the home team.  IPFW rallied off the next four points, 11-10, resulting in an NJIT timeout.  After a 12-12 tie, the Mastodons rallied for another four straight points, for a 16-12 lead.  The Highlanders, down by as many as seven, pulled to within three of IPFW late in the set, 23-20 on a kill by Dhruv Lad and then to within two 24-22 on a kill by Van Oss, resulting in a timeout by IPFW.  With set point, IPFW's Frain put down a kill for a 25-22 victory.
 
In the final set of the match, the set seesawed back and forth early and saw eight ties up until, 8-8, when IPFW stretched its lead to four, 12-8, on a kill by Fyfield.   IPFW took its biggest lead of the set, 15-9, on an attack error by the Highlanders.  The Mastodons extended its lead to 21-13 and cruised to a 25-18 victory scoring the final two points of the set for a 25-18 win.
 
The Highlanders will rematch IPFW on Saturday at 7pm at the Gates Sports Center.  The Mastodons hold a 9-0 all-time record vs. the Highlanders.