Senior Day Photo Gallery

NEWARK, NJ--The NJIT men's volleyball team closed out its 2019 season with a thrilling 3-2 victory over visiting Saint Francis U in EIVA Conference action Saturday evening on Senior Night inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.
 
In pregame ceremonies, NJIT honored five graduating seniors -- Ricardo Whitaker, Chris Wise, Enrique de Diego Garcia, Tyler Brandow, Ricardo Whitaker and Pat Howell.
 
NJIT (10-14, 5-9 EIVA) took a 2-1 lead heading into the third fourth frame, after the Red Flash opened the first set with a 25-18 victory.  The Highlanders won the second and third sets – 25-23 and 25-21 but Saint Francis U held on for a 25-21 victory in the fourth set, forcing a fifth and deciding set. 
 
In the fifth and deciding set, NJIT broke an 8-8 tie, scoring four straight, taking a 12-8 lead, resulting in a Red Flash timeout.  The Red Flash scored two straight but the Highlanders closed out the frame on a 3-2 spurt, capped by a kill by sophomore Alvaro Gimeno, securing the 15-12 victory.
 
The Red Flash (15-13, 9-5 EIVA) will enter in to the EIVA Tournament as the No. 4 seed and take on No. 1 Princeton in the semifinal round.
 
Gimeno, the only Highlander to reach double-digit kills, produced 16 kills on 37 attempts, combining for a .324 hitting percentage with just four errors. 
 
Graduate student Enrique de Diego Garcia, a 2016 AVCA All-American, concluded his collegiate playing career with seven kills on 13 swings and just one error for a .462 hitting percentage.
 
NJIT's freshman setter Roque Nido filled up the score sheet, recording 23 assists, six digs, five block assists and two kills.
 
Senior libero Chris Wise led the match with 10 digs followed by seven from Gimeno and Piotr Namiotko.
 
In front of the net, NJIT held a huge team blocking advantage, 16-to-6, paced by de Diego Garcia with nine total blocks (one solo, eight assists) followed by junior middle Luca Berger with six (all assists).
 
The visitors edged NJIT in the service ace category, 12-to-10.  NJIT's Berger recorded four aces followed by Gimeno with four.  Saint Francis U Michael Fisher led the match with six aces.