Box Score NEWARK, N.J. (March 11, 2015) – Seniors David Evans and Ryan Seifert combined for 32 kills to lead the No. 1 Stevens Institute of Technology men's volleyball past Division I New Jersey Institute of Technology 3-1 on Wednesday.
 
On Tuesday, the Ducks climbed to the top-spot in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll for the second time this season, receiving nine first-place votes.
 
Stevens ran its winning streak to nine while improving to 18-4 overall, with the Highlanders falling to 7-8 on the season. The scores of match were 21-25, 25-22, 25-21, 28-26.
 
The opening stanza saw the Ducks score the first two points off kills from Evans and Seifert. A triple-block by juniors Chris Vaughan and Etan Bennett and senior Kevin Aeckerle knotted the set at 13 all, but NJIT scored eight of the next eleven off a pair of kills from both redshirt junior TJ Jurko and senior Zak Robben. The Ducks trimmed the deficit to three, but it was as close they would come.
 
Set two was a back and forth affair, with the two sides seeing the score tied 11 times and featured four lead changes. Stevens recorded five of the first six points, but NJIT countered with four of the next six to even everything at seven. The Highlanders stormed ahead by connecting on five of six points to expand their lead to 16-12. Sophomore Jordan Stuart, Seifert and Aeckerle led the Stevens comeback with a trio of kills, and after a kill by Evans the Ducks led 21-19. After a double-block by Stuart and Seifert brought NJIT to set point but the Highlanders recorded a side-out to keep the Ducks from finishing the set. But Stevens was able to knot the match up at one on a big double-block by Stuart and Evans.
 
The Ducks scored the first point of set three and didn't look back. A mid-set 6-0 run propelled Stevens to an 11-4 lead, taking advantage of three Highlander attack errors. After a 3-0 run by NJIT cut the lead down to three, Stevens used three separate two points spurts to keep the home team from getting as close as four points. The Ducks took a 2-1 advantage in the match after a kill from Vaughan.
 
In the fourth set, neither side was able to get an advantage of more than two points for the entire contest. After going down 16-14 NJIT notched three straight points thanks to a pair of kills from senior Ryan Thomas and sophomore Jabarry Goodridge. Stevens tacked on five of the next eight markers led by two kills from Evans. On the fifth match point, the Ducks were able to secure the victory thanks to an NJIT attack error.
 
Stevens out-hit NJIT .355-.284 while holding the home team to a .183 hitting percentage in the middle two period. Evans led three Ducks in double-figure kills with 17, while Seifert chipped in 15 and Stuart had 10 with five blocks. Vaughan narrowly missed a double-double, recording nine kills and team-high 15 digs.
 
Jabarry Goodridge led the Highlanders with 20 kills with Jurko recording a double-double of 14 kills and 12 digs. Robben finished with 27 assists in the losing effort.
 
Stevens will be on the road to take part in a tri-match hosted by Hunter College beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday. They will take on the Hawks at 9 a.m. and then Stevenson at 11 a.m.
 
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