Box Score
 
UNION, NJ—Kean had two players reach double-figures in the kills category led by senior Steve Vahalla's match-high 17 kills, as the NJIT men's volleyball team fell short Tuesday, 3-2, in men's volleyball non-conference action at Harwood Arena.
 
The Highlanders won the first frame, 25-17 but dropped the second set, 30-28.  NJIT took a 2-1 lead with a 25-14 victory in the third set as the Highlanders hit (.345) but the Cougars rallied for a 25-21 victory in the fourth frame after hitting (.538) and closed out the match with a 15-12 victory to earn its second win of the season.
 
Kean (2-2) is ranked No. 14 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III men's volleyball poll.  Last season, the Cougars captured the 2012 Skyline Conference title and advanced to the NCAA Division III Men' Volleyball Championship after posting a 25-11 overall record and 13-1 mark in the Skyline.  This season, the Cougars were selected to win the Skyline Conference in the Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
Vahalla, the 2012 Skyline Player of the Year and AVCA second-team all-American honoree, led the match with 17 kills while adding seven digs and three service aces.
 
Kean's Ed Jedziniak was the only other player to reach double-figure kill totals Tuesday for Kean with 10 kills on 20 swings and three errors for a .350 hitting percentage. 
 
Three different Cougars finished with six kills -- Kyle Farley, Mike Schueuermann and John Cunningham.  Farley finished the match with a .545 attack percentage with no errors on 11 attempts.
 
Sophomore setter Alex Barnhard piled up a match-high 36 assists to go along with four block assists.  Junior Michael Fox led the Cougars defensively with eight digs followed by seven apiece from Michal Kucza, Vahalla and Cunninghan.
 
The Cougars held a slight team blocking advantage (9-to-7) led by Farley, Jedzinaik and Barnhard with four blocks apiece.
 
NJIT (1-5) was led by junior outside hitter Herman Kantushov with 16 kills. six digs and three service aces followed by freshman Kajetan Borecki with 11 kills and five digs.  Freshman Brad Thele, playing in his first collegiate match, combined for nine kills for the Highlanders.
 
Senior Matthew Lui paced the Highlanders with 26 assists followed by sophomore Zak Robben's 15 assists in three sets.  Libero Brady Smith notched a match-high 14 digs.  
 
NJIT will return to action on Friday at 7pm when the Highlanders face No. 11 Ohio State. 
 
Ohio State will be the sixth opponent from the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) that the Highlanders will face this season.