CAMBRIDGE, MASS. – Harvard men's volleyball (11-10, 3-6 EIVA) fell short in its opening match versus New Jersey Institute of Technology (10-14, 2-7 EIVA), dropping a five set thriller to the Highlanders.
How it Happened
As play began at the Malkin Athletic Center the Highlanders used a short three-point scoring run to create some distance from the Crimson. Through the middle portion of the set NJIT was able to respond to any Crimson pushes until Harvard used a 4-1 scoring run to tie it up. Despite Harvard eventually taking the lead at 21-19, three straight points for the Highlanders out of a timeout allowed them the distance to take the first set, 25-23.
NJIT was able to carry its momentum into the second set, holding advantages through most of the earlier points. Midway through, the Crimson caught fire, using a 5-0 scoring run to pull ahead 13-10. After gaining the lead, Harvard was able to halt any attempted NJIT runs to never again trail. The Highlanders made a strong effort, fighting off five set points but the Crimson were able to solidify the set at 26-24 with strong defense and a
Zach Berty slam in the final two points.
After the Highlanders went up 3-2 to start the third, the Crimson took back all momentum with a 7-2 scoring run. Back and forth scoring ensued as each team traded runs but Harvard never released control of the lead. As the Crimson moved into set point position, the Highlanders pressured with a pair of points before a service error closed the third at 25-21 in favor of Harvard.
Through the early points of the fourth set, the Crimson and Highlanders tied on eight different occasions before NJIT broke out into the lead. While NJIT held control for most of the set, the Crimson battled back after trailing 23-20. A three-point scoring run in favor of Harvard began a back-and-forth struggle for the fourth set, a battle that the Highlanders ultimately took, 27-25.
Harvard quickly took control in the final set, grabbing an early 4-1 advantage but the Highlanders refused to go away. After tying the match at nine-all, NJIT retook the lead and would not give it up for the remainder of the match. NJIT eventually closed out the set 15-11 to drop the Crimson, 3-2.
Harvard Highlights
- Smith notched his 10 kills with a remarkable .749 hitting percentage after not registering a single attack error in the contest. The senior also recorded 10 block assists and a solo block to lead the team at the net.
- James Bardin had an all-around night, contributing a team-high 41 kills along with five kills with a .833 hitting percentage. The junior also recorded four block assists and four digs.
- Despite falling to the Highlanders, as a team the Crimson registered a higher hitting percentage with .327 in comparison to NJIT's .276.
- The Crimson defense had many strong spurts throughout the match as Harvard collected its second highest block total of the season with 18.0.
Next Up
The Crimson will play its final match of the regular season and celebrate senior tomorrow as it looks to bounce back against the Highlanders at 5:00 p.m. inside the Malkin Athletic Center and on ESPN+.
