CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Men's Volleyball fell to the No. 20 New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders in four sets on Saturday, February 14, marking Harvard's second straight four-set defeat to NJIT and concluding the Crimson's opening weekend of conference play.
Harvard opened the match with the first point and found early success, capitalizing on aggressive swings that pushed past NJIT's block. The Highlanders responded quickly, matching the Crimson point for point before pulling ahead late to claim the first set, 25–21.
Owen Woolbert led Harvard offensively in the opener with four kills, while Brian Thomas, Zach Berty, and Sawyer Nichols each added two to keep the set competitive.
The second set remained tightly contested, with neither team able to separate by more than a few points amid several hard-fought rallies. Harvard regained momentum in the latter half, battling through extended exchanges before securing a 27–25 set win off a decisive block by Woolbert, Oliver Doty, and Nichols.
NJIT regained control in the third set, exploiting gaps in Harvard's defense to disrupt the Crimson's rhythm. That momentum carried into the fourth, where the Highlanders closed out the match.
Woolbert delivered a standout performance, anchoring Harvard on both sides of the net and surpassing his previous career high in kills at 17 while contributing 5 key block assists and 10 digs.
Harvard Highlights
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Owen Woolbert ended the match with 17 kills, 5 block assists, and 10 digs
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Sawyer Nichols added 14 important scoring swings to keep Harvard within reach as well as 7 digs
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Oliver Doty set a personal best with 6 block assists, helping deny multiple NJIT scoring opportunities
- Zach Berty and Brian Thomas added 8 and 7 kills, respectively
The Crimson will travel to face the Penn State Nittany Lions men's volleyball next weekend, with matches scheduled for Friday at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday at 3:00 p.m. Both contests will stream on Big Ten+.
