IPFW volleyball suffers first loss to NJIT in program history

For the first time in program history, the IPFW men's volleyball team lost to the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

IPFW blew a one-game lead and committed a combined six attack and serving errors in the decisive fifth game as it lost to NJIT 25-14, 21-25, 13-25, 25-23, 15-13 on Saturday in Newark, N.J.

The Mastodons entered this match 9-0 all-time against the Highlanders. In addition, IPFW had won all but two of the 29 games played in the series dating back to 2002.

IPFW (2-2, 0-0 MIVA) in the loss out-hit NJIT .256 to .211. However, the Highlanders had a match-high .500 attack percentage and never trailed in its two-point fifth game victory.

Outside attacker Eddie Rivera led all players with 18 kills and a .389 attack percentage against NJIT (1-2, 0-0 EIVA).

Rivera was one of two IPFW players to finish with more than 10 kills. Freshman outside attacker Nick Smalter also added 15 kills and a team-high seven blocks.

NJIT in the victory had three players with double-digit kills -- including outside attacker Chris Kaepernick who had a team-high 14 kills.

This loss snaps the Mastodons' two-match winning streak. IPFW will return to Fort Wayne to open a three-match homestand as it plays Lourdes, a NAIA school, at 7 p.m. Friday.