The Sacred Heart University men’s volleyball team lost to NJIT in three sets on April 17 at the Joel & Diane Bloom Wellness & Events Center in Newark, New Jersey.
This match was important for Sacred Heart as it marked an Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) contest against a nationally ranked opponent. The outcome affects the team’s standing and momentum heading into the regular season finale.
Sacred Heart started strong in the opening set, with players Jaron Popp and Aaron Johnson helping keep the score close through several ties and lead changes. However, NJIT pulled ahead late to win the first set 25-21. In the second set, NJIT’s offense improved significantly, posting a .500 hitting percentage that proved difficult for Sacred Heart to counter. Despite efforts from Aleksa Mandic and Jack Chow, Sacred Heart lost the second set 25-15.
The third set saw renewed energy from Sacred Heart as they stayed competitive midway through. Popp led with seven kills on a .429 hitting percentage while Johnson contributed with a .625 mark. Still, NJIT maintained control and closed out the match with a 25-19 win.
Overall, Sacred Heart recorded 30 kills and hit .120 compared to NJIT’s 39 kills at a .345 rate. Service errors were an issue for Sacred Heart, totaling 13 during the match. Defensively, Harryzen Soares led with eight digs while Carter Lyons added nine; Popp also contributed four total blocks at the net.
With this loss, Sacred Heart’s record moves to 10-14 overall and 3-8 in EIVA play. The team will aim to recover quickly as they face NJIT again tomorrow afternoon in their series and regular season finale.
