UNION, N.J. (January 25, 2019) – Junior
David Lehman posted a team-high 17 kills as No. 2 Stevens Institute of Technology Men's Volleyball officially opened its 2019 campaign with a four-set victory over Rivier University (25-17, 25-22, 22-25, 25-19) Friday in a non-conference match at Harwood Arena.
Sophomore
Jack Bittker added a career-high 14 kills and senior
Niko Lambert recorded a career-high 14 digs for the Ducks, who won their opening match against Division III competition for the third straight season. Stevens opened the 2019 campaign with a 3-1 exhibition victory over Division I Sacred Heart University.
Francis Kokoros matched Lehman with 17 kills and Pedro Campos handed out a match-high 36 assists for Rivier, who lost its season opener for the fifth straight season.
Volleys and Points
- Lehman scored the first point of the match on a Kokoros blocking error.
- Bittker followed suit, recording his first kill of the season on a David Smith blocking error.
- In the set, all Stevens' points were scored by Lehman, Bittker, senior Cooper Diamond or junior Jonathan Frenzel.
- The Ducks opened as much as an eight-point lead in winning the set. Stevens took advantage of 12 Rivier errors in leading the frame wire-to-wire.
- Bittker and Frenzel set down sets from senior Jacob Patterson to close out the opening set.
- The second set opened with Rivier scoring the first three points of the frame to take its first lead of the match.
- The teams exchanged two-point runs through the middle portion of the set before the Ducks used a six-point run to jump in front at 19-17. Senior Dylan DeBoer sparked the run with a pair of blocks and Lehman pinned down a pair of sets from the outside.
- An attack error drew Rivier even at 20-all, but Stevens scored five of the next six points to force set point. Lehman and Bittker provided the offense, alternating kills on sets from Patterson and Lambert.
- Khayen Yocca slowed down the Stevens run, but Bittker placed a Patterson set into the Raider defense to close out the frame.
- Lehman converted a Grant Burden set to open the third-set scoring.
- The Raiders reeled off three straight points to seize an early lead, until Stevens was able to use a 4-1 run, bookended by a pair of Rivier errors to take a slim lead at 9-8.
- The Raiders used a 6-1 run to reclaim their lead, taking advantage of four Stevens errors.
- Two errors and a Lehman kill drew Stevens to within three and forced a Rivier timeout and another Raider error trimmed the margin to two, but Kokoros converted a Campos set to close the set.
- The final set Stevens only record seven kills, but forced Rivier into seven attack errors and six service miscues. The Ducks also recorded serving four aces in the frame, including one from junior Michael Snajder.
- After the Raiders won the first point, Stevens reeled off five straight points to take a commanding early lead. Sophomore Ryan Byrne recorded a kill and a pair of aces during the sequence.
- Stevens maintained its three-point lead throughout the set before a Bittker ace closed a stretch that the Ducks' lead swell to seven.
- A David Smith ace and a Byrne error brought Rivier to within three, but the closed regained the serve on a double block by Lehman and Diamond.
- A block error brought Stevens to match point and the Ducks closed out the frame on their first opportunity to do so.
Match Point
- Diamond closed out the match with an ace to cap a 3-0 match-ending stretch.
Unsung Heroes
Inside the Numbers
- Stevens held a .256-.182 advantage in hitting percentage.
- Lambert's previous career best performance was 14 digs against Dominican in the NCAA Tournament on April 28, 2017.
- Bittker and Byrne each recorded two aces. The Ducks recorded eight aces on the evening, while Rivier only posted two.
- Burden came off the bench to hand out 14 assists. Patterson led the team with 26 assists and did not commit either a setting error or a ball-handling error.
- The Ducks committed a match-low three attack errors in the first set.
- Lehman added a match-high five blocks, while Frenzel recorded four. Campos led Rivier with four rejections.
- Freshman Jack Fyda made his collegiate debut.
From the Courts
- "Every match is important, but winning tonight's match carried extra importance for us. Not only did we compete against a quality opponent, but we wanted to start the season in a positive way." - assistant coach Austin Voges
- "I thought Dave and Jack were outstanding tonight, as was Jacob Patterson. Niko was awesome on defense with a career high in digs. We were able to get 12 different players into the match and Jon Frenzel had a great night as well." - head coach Patrick Dorywalski
Up Next
- No. 2 Men's Volleyball completes play in The Clash at Kean Saturday with matches against North Central College and No. 14 Endicott College.
- It will be the first-ever meeting with North Central.
- Live stats and video links at StevensDucks.com
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