Trojan netter knock off NJIT

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on February 1, 2009 2:00 AM

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MOC Sports Information

NEWARK, N.J. -- Noel Garcia recorded 16 kills and nine digs as Mount Olive defeated New Jersey Institute of Technology 31-29, 30-25, 31-33, 30-25 in the Golden Dome Men's Volleyball Classic Friday at Newark, N.J. Garcia was named Most Valuable Player at last year's tournament, which is hosted by University of Rutgers-Newark.

Mount Olive (4-2) took an early lead 3-1 with a kill from Christian Rombaut and an ace from Jose Lanier. Alex Hoekstra found Lanier for another kill that tied the score up at eight. NJIT (2-1) then went on a 6-2 run to go up 14-10 on kills from Robert Thomas and Amobi Armstrong. Pedro Penate's kill triggered a 12-5 run, aided by Lanier's three kills and Rombaut and Mike Carroll's block to take the set.

The Highlanders went up 5-3, but back-to-back kills from Penate helped give Mount Olive an 8-6 lead. Lanier's consecutive aces propelled the Trojans to a 25-18 lead, but triggered a 7-3 run from the Highlanders aided by kills from Bell and Armstrong. Mount Olive went on to take the set on a pair of kills from Rombaut and Hoekstra.

Once again NJIT jumped out to an early lead 5-1 on a kill and ace from Armstrong. Kills from Carroll and Penate kept the Trojans within striking distance, but the Highlanders went up 19-13 on a kill from Steve Sylvester. A pair of kills from both Rombaut and Garcia surged an 8-0 run to tie the score up at 21. Garcia's three kills put the Trojans up 26-23, but it wasn't enough as NJIT went on an 11-5 run to take the set on kills from Armstrong and Sylvester.

The Trojans opened up the set with a kill from Lanier and went up 8-6 on Penate's kill. Hoekstra's ace capped off a 7-1 run for Mount Olive as they went up 15-8. Garcia's ace put the Trojans up 22-14, but the Highlanders came roaring back with an 11-4 run on aces from Chuck Richmond and Armstrong. Garcia's kill led to Carroll and Hoekstra's block to give Mount Olive the match.

Rombaut tallied 15 kills, seven digs, four blocks, and two aces, while Penate added 15 kills and seven digs. Lanier added 10 kills and a match-high five aces and Carroll had a match-high five blocks.

Armstrong led NJIT with 20 kills and 10 digs, while Bell added 17 kills.