Box Score

The New York University men's volleyball team persevered over a game Harvard University on Friday night at the Coles Sports Center to secure a 3-2 victory and a berth in the upcoming EIVA Playoffs.

The Violets (18-8, 5-3 EIVA Hay) needed a victory over Harvard (8-12, 0-6) and a loss by Sacred Heart University, which played at Juniata College on Friday night, to secure the final playoff berth.

NYU opened the match successfully, recording a 25-22 victory in the first set before dropping a 25-21 decision in the second set.

The Violets reclaimed the match lead with a 25-21 win in set three, but the Crimson again came through 25-21 in set four.

At that point of the evening, the first half of the necessary double had taken place as Juniata swept Sacred Heart 3-0.

With their playoff lives clearly now within their own control, NYU still could not shake the pesky Crimson.  Despite taking a 7-4 lead midway through the final set, the Violets were caught at 7-7.  

However, a kill from Connor Mortland gave NYU the lead and an attack error by Harvard gave the Violets a two-point advantage.  And, although Harvard pulled to with one on the next point, NYU never surrendered the lead.

Then, when Taylor Fauntleroy produced a kill off Mortland's assist to produce the 15-11 final-set win, the Violets were officially heading to face George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, on Saturday, April 23, in a first-round EIVA contest..     

"It was a great victory for the program.  We're back in the playoffs," said head coach Jose Pina.  "The guys played really hard and overcame a lot in the match.  They just came through when they had to.  They played their hardest and their best when they had to.  It feels great to be back in the playoffs which was our goal from the start of the season."

NYU last qualified for the EIVA playoffs in 2008.

Mortland led both teams with 51 assists.  He added 12 digs, while Fauntleroy had a team-high 21 kills.  Jay Hayes also had 12 digs.

Fran Hodgson, one of four players feted prior to the game on Senior Night (along with Stanley Gasiewski, Jorge Oscar Torruella and Ori Oren) finished with nine kills and four blocks.

Nick Capriccio also had four blocks to go with his 13 kills, while Pat Dodd also reached double digits with 16 kills.

Matt Jones recorded a match-high 26 kills for Harvard, while Derek Jansma had 44 assists.

NYU still has one regular-season match remaining, on Tuesday, April 12, when it hosts Rutgers-Newark.