Junior Greg Higgins had 11 kills and eight total blocks to lead Stevens past 15th-ranked Ramapo. |
HOBOKEN, N.J. – Junior outside hitter Greg Higgins (Kenmore, N.Y./Kenmore West) had 11 kills and eight total blocks to lead fourth-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology to a 3-0 (30-18, 30-20, 30-24) win over 15th-ranked Ramapo on Wednesday night in a North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) Metro Division men’s volleyball match at the Canavan Arena.
Stevens (19-6, 10-0 NECVA Metro), ranked fourth in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III coaches poll, has won seven straight and 16 of its last 18 matches. The Ducks’ only two losses during that stretch have come against No. 1 Juniata and No. 3 Springfield. Ramapo falls to 18-10 and 4-4 in NECVA Metro play.
Stevens dominated the match at the net with 19 total team blocks and held Ramapo to a -.020 hitting percentage. The Ducks hit .330 as a team with 42 kills and 13 errors in 88 attempts.
Senior outside hitter Brian Woodworth (San Jose, Calif./Bellarmine Prep) had eight kills and a match-high nine digs. Junior outside hitter Chris Bock (Empangeri, South Africa/University-Fla.) had eight kills, six digs and three total blocks.
Sophomore middle hitters Will Foley (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) and Scott Stoner (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) combined for 13 kills and just two errors in 20 attempts (.550). Freshman setter Steve Strollo (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown) had 35 assists.
Freshman opposite Brendan Whitford paced Ramapo with 10 kills and six digs.
With the score knotted at 6-6 in the first game, Stevens took control by scoring five straight points. Bock had two kills and combined on a block with Stoner to fuel the run. Ramapo closed to within 14-12, but Stevens scored five of the next six points. Foley had three straight kills as the Ducks extended their lead to 19-13. Stevens hit .393 (14-3-28) in the opening game.
Stevens never trailed in the second game. With the score tied at 2-2 early in the game, the Ducks scored four straight points behind the serving of Higgins to take the lead. Stevens had nine team blocks in the second game, forcing Ramapo into 13 errors.
Ramapo kept pace in the third game. The Roadrunners trailed 22-19, but Stevens used a service error, an attack error and a block by Higgins to extend its lead to six points. Ramapo got no closer than four points the rest of the way.
Stevens is back in action on Wednesday, March 16, when it travels to New Paltz, N.Y. for a 7 p.m. NECVA Metro match against seventh-ranked SUNY New Paltz.
