Wekkend Highlights vs. No. 14 George Mason

FAIRFAX, VA--The NJIT men's volleyball team extended its win streak to seven straight, following a 3-0 (25-23, 25-18 and 25-19) victory at No. 14 George Mason in EIVA men's volleyball action at the Recreation Athletic Complex.

The victory was the seventh in a row for the Highlanders, which are ranked #12 in the latest AVCA Division I-II coaches poll, improved to 9-3 overall and 9-1 in the EIVA.  

Senior Alvaro Gimeno led all players with 12 kills followed by 10 kills each from Luca Berger and Julian Meissner.  Berger combined for a .600 hitting percentage with seven total blocks (two solo, five assists) while Meissner led the match with eight digs.  Freshman setter Griffin Fieseler piled up 37 assists, a match-best.

For George Mason, Hayden Wagner led the Patriots with 10 kills and setter Zach Talamoa combined for 31 assists.  Talamoa and Trevor Kennan recorded five digs each for the Patriots.

Both teams traded points in the first set through the early teens with George Mason breaking a 13-13 tie and using a 4-1 run to go up 17-14, resulting in a NJIT timeout.  NJIT rallied back pulling within one on several occasions late in the set and used a 6-1 spurt to close out the frame with a 25-23 victory.

Another early tight start to the second set, which saw the set knotted at 9-9.  NJIT went on a 10-2 run to push ahead 19-11 on a block solo by Julian Meissner.  George Mason used a late 3-1 spurt for a 24-18 lead but NJIT's Alvaro Gimeno registered a kill for the final point of the set for a 25-18 victory.

In the third set, the Highlanders broke an early 5-5 tie with a 6-1 run to go ahead 10-6 and midway through the frame used another 6-1 spurt to take a 17-11 advantage.  The Patriots pulled as close as three, 20-17, but the Highlanders closed out the frame on a 5-2 run for a 25-19 victory.

NJIT will return to action on March 12-13 when the Highlanders visit Sacred Heart.  Friday's match is set to start at 7pm while Saturday will begin at 4pm.  Earlier in the season, the Highlanders swept the Pioneers.