NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT men's volleyball team battled with ninth-ranked Grand Canyon in the 2025 season openers for both teams as the Lopes came out on top, 3-1, inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center.
Grand Canyon, the defending Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Tournament Champions picked up a 25-21 victory in the first frame but NJIT scored the extra points in the second frame to tie the match at 1-1 with a 27-25 victory. The Lopes won by identical scores in the third and fourth frames, 25-20, to secure the 3-1 season opening victory.
NJIT had three players reach double-digits in the kills category led by freshman Wiktor Nowak who played in his first collegiate match of his young career, combining for 16 kills followed by Alessandro Negri (15) and Antonio Feliciano (10).
Junior Braeden Goebbert registered eight kills on one error and 14 swings for a .500 hitting percentage while classmate Andrew Fedmasu posted eight kills on 12 attempts for a .500 hitting percentage with just two errors.
The Highlanders used a pair of setters – Bruno Figueiredo and Gil Zyndorf, each combining for 29 and 19 assists respectively.
Negri paced NJIT with 11 digs followed closely by Feliciano with nine. In front of the net, Andrew Fedmasu and Goebbert each registered a total of four total blocks (one solo, three assists).
Grand Canyon got off to a 3-1 start in the first frame and pushed its lead to 17-12 resulting in a Highlander timeout. NJIT used a short 4-1 run of their own to pull within three of the Lopes, 21-18. Grand Canyon scored the final two out of three points to take the first set, 25-21.
Both teams traded points in the set second but the Lopes took a five-point advantage, 13-8, behind a 4-1 run. NJIT scored four straight points, cutting the deficit to one, 13-12, capped by an ace by Braeden Goebbert. The Highlanders went on a 6-1 spurt, taking a 19-17 advantage and later went ahead by two, 21-19. The set saw five more ties the final at 25-all and a pair of back-to-back kills by the Highlanders secured the win, 27-25, to even the match at 1-1.
Grand Canyon led 8-6 early and pushed its lead to 10-7 but the Highlanders responded and knotted the game at 11-11 and 12-12 before the Lopes scored seven straight for a 19-12 score. The Highlanders scored five out of six points into the early 20's, cutting the deficit to 24-20 but the Lopes finished the set with a kill for a 25-20 victory to go up 2-1.
The Lopes started the fourth set on a 7-3 run resulting in an early timeout by NJIT. The Highlanders used a 9-2 spurt to take its first lead of the set, 10-9. Grand Canyon rallied back and took a four-point lead, 18-14 and increased the lead to as many as four, 21-17. The Lopes scored the final three out of the four final points to secure the 25-20 victory.
Karter Rogers and Cole Ottmar each registered 12 kills for the Lopes as setter Jaxon Herr piled up 37 assists and 11 digs. Middle Cole Duncanson notched a match-best nine total blocks (one solo, eight assists).
Next Up
NJIT will continue its stretch of matches at home as NJIT and Grand Canyon will return to action Saturday night at 7pm inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center.
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