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VIDEO: NJIT Highlights vs. Princeton
VIDEO: 2022 EIVA Conference Final Highlights
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA–Third-seeded NJIT concluded its 2022 season in the EIVA Conference finals dropping a 3-1 decision to fourth-seeded Princeton Saturday inside Rec Hall.
NJIT finished the 2022 season with a 17-11 overall mark, marking the third time in program history the Highlanders made an appearance in the EIVA finals. The 17 wins marks the second most wins since the 2007 season.
Juniors Julian Meissner and Martin de Chavarria were both named to the EIVA Conference All-Tournament team.
"I thought it was a great match between two teams and we just came up short," said eighth-year head coach Danny Goncalves post game.
The Highlanders were led by a team-best 19 kills from Meissner followed by Chavarria (10), Alessandro Negri (10) and Jens Feldthus (10). De Chavarria posted four block assists while Meissner led the team with six block assists.
Middle Carson Williams combined for a .556 hitting percentage with five kills on nine attempts.
Setter Roque Nido piled up a match-best 49 assists while libero Joe Kennedy shared match-high honors with Princeton's Matt Suh with nine digs.
NJIT came out on fire in the first set, taking a 8-4 lead behind three consecutive points by the Highlanders, resulting in a timeout by Princeton. NJIT took a five-point advantage midway through the frame, scoring five out of six points for a 15-10 lead, resulting in Princeton's second timeout of the set. Princeton rallied back in the mid-teens, cutting NJIT's lead down to one, 17-16 and knotted the set at 20-all scoring four out of the next five points. NJIT closed out the set scoring the final three points for a 25-23 victory. Julian Meissner led all players in the first frame with six kills.
Tied at 6-all in the second set, Princeton scored three straight points for an 8-6 lead and scored the last five-out-of-six points to take an 11-7 lead, resulting in a Highlander timeout. NJIT rallied back to knot the set at 13-all after four straight points, including an ace by Jens Feldthus. Princeton used a short run, scoring four of five points, taking a three point advantage, 17-14 and went ahead 21-17 as head coach Danny Goncalves used his second timeout of the frame. NJIT pulled within one of Princeton, 23-22, on three straight points, capped by an ace by Feldthus, his second of the match. Tied at 24-all, used a quick 3-1 spurt to close out the frame with a 27-25 victory to tie the match at 1-1.
NJIT jumped out to a 7-2 lead to start the third set after four straight points, resulting in an early timeout by Princeton. The Tigers answered with three points of their own, slimming the Highlander lead to two, 7-5. NJIT extended its lead to five, 12-7, after three straight points, capped by block assists from Carson Williams and Feldthus. After a Princeton timeout, the Tigers scored four unanswered, cutting the deficit to one, 12-11 and tied the set at 14-all on back-to-back points. NJIT scored back-to-back points but Princeton took the lead, responding with three points, taking its first lead of the set, 17-16. The set saw eight more ties the final at 25-all as Princeton scored the final two points registering a 27-25 victory to go up 2-1.
Princeton scored the first two points of the fourth set and increased its lead to 8-3, using a 4-1 run. NJIT slimmed the deficit to two, 13-11, but Princeton extended its lead to five, 17-12, behind a 4-2 spurt. The Tigers took its biggest lead of the match 19-13 and secured the win with a 25-18 victory to earn the 3-1 win.
