WATCH: Highlights vs. Penn State

Post Game Comments with Coach Goncalves and ESPN+'s Ira Thor

NEWARK, NJ—NJIT's Alvaro Gimeno and Jens Feldthus combined for 23 kills and 11 digs but it wasn't enough as visiting Penn State registered a 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-17, 26-24) victory in close sets Friday evening in EIVA Conference play at NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.

The visiting Nittany Lions improve to 14-13 overall, 10-3 in the EIVA while the Highlanders saw a two-match win streak come to an end, dropping to 9-14 overall, 4-9 in the conference.

Gimeno, reigning Sports Imports/AVCA Player of the Week, finished with a team-best 13 kills, six digs and three service aces.  Feldthus added 10 kills, five digs and three service aces for the home team.

Junior middle Luca Berger hit an impressive .667 for the match, combining for eight kills on 12 attempts with no errors.  Berger added four digs and two block assists.

Freshman setter Roque Nido piled up a team-high 30 assists while junior Piotr Namiotko led the Highlanders defensively with seven digs followed by libero Chris Wise and Feldthus with six.

Graduate student Enrique de Diego Garcia shared match-high honors in blocks – combining for five total (two solo; three assists).

Penn State had three players in double-figure kills led by a match-best 14 kills from Henrik Falck Lauten followed by Brett Wildman (13) and Matthew McLaren (11).  Libero Cal Fisher paced the match with 11 digs.

The Nittany Lions won the first set, 25-22, behind a .500 hitting percentage compared to the Highlanders .194.  The frame saw 11 ties and two lead changes – the final tie at 17-all after a Penn State service error.  Penn State pushed its lead to 22-18 after three quick points but the Highlanders answered using a 4-1 spurt, slimming the Nittany Lion lead to two, 23-21.  After a Penn State kill and a Highlander error, the Nittany Lions closed out the frame, 25-22.

In the second set, the Highlanders used a four-point run to lead 16-11 and led by as many as six at 19-13. Penn State rallied to pull within two, 23-21, but NJIT was able to pick up the next two points on back-to-back kills to tie the match at 1-1, taking the 25-21 victory.  NJIT combined for an errorless frame on the attack and a .550 hitting percentage.

Penn State got off to a quick start in the third frame, 5-1, and extended its lead to 14-11.  NJIT managed to pull within five, 20-15, but the Nittany Lions secured the set with a 25-17 victory to go ahead, 2-1.  Penn State managed a .308 hitting percentage while keeping the Highlanders a .000 for the frame.

NJIT took a 5-2 edge early in the fourth frame before it was erased and knotted at 5-all.  Twelve ties and five lead changes, neither team led by more than three points.  Late in the frame, the score was tied at 21-21 and back-to-back kills by Falck Lauten gave Penn State a 23-21 advantage.  The Highlanders rallied back and scored the next three points, setting up match point, 24-23, after a kill by Feldthus, resulting in a timeout by the Nittany Lions.

Out of the timeout, Penn State scored the last three points of the match, securing the 3-1 victory with a 26-24 victory.

NJIT will conclude its season on Saturday at 6pm when the Highlanders host Saint Francis U inside the Wellness and Events Center on Senior Night.  NJIT will honor graduating seniors – Ricardo Whitaker, Chris Wise, Enrique de Diego Garcia, Tyler Brandow and Pat Howell.