Cambridge, Mass. – Men's Volleyball dropped a four-set match to No. 20 New Jersey Institute of Technology on Friday night after a tightly contested battle that featured momentum swings on both sides.
The Crimson came out slow in the opening set, using the frame to settle in while the Highlanders established an early rhythm. Harvard responded in the second set with a gritty, back-and-forth race to 25, but NJIT narrowly edged ahead late to claim the set.
Harvard flipped the script in the third, capitalizing on gaps in the Highlanders' block and playing with greater tempo and confidence. The Crimson controlled key stretches to secure the set win and keep the match alive. Despite the surge, NJIT regrouped in the fourth to close out the match.
Setter
Kai Gan orchestrated three of the four sets, providing steady distribution that kept Harvard's offense balanced throughout the night.
Sawyer Nichols and
Owen Woolbert paced the Crimson with 11 kills apiece.
Brian Thomas delivered one of the strongest all-around performances of the match, recording seven kills, two solo blocks, four block assists, and an efficient .583 hitting percentage — making his presence felt on both sides of the net.
Oliver Doty added a career-high five kills in a strong supporting effort.
Harvard Highlights
- Brian Thomas' dominant two-way performance at the net with 7 kills, 2 blocks, and 4 block assists
- Nichols and Woolbert leading the offense with 11 kills each
- Doty recording a career-high 5 kills
Up Next
The Crimson will play NJIT in their second conference match on Friday, February 14th, at 5:00PM
