NEW YORK, NY - The #8-ranked New York University men's volleyball team registered a statement win over #4 Stevens Institute of Technology at home on Tuesday, March 3. The Violets swept the Ducks by set scores of 25-23, 25-21, 27-25.

In what was a back-and-forth match all night, the first set saw 11 ties and six lead changes. Stevens jumped out to a 6-2 lead before NYU scored four of the next five points to get to within one.

The Violets later tied the score at 12-12, after which neither team led by more than two. 

With the Ducks ahead 22-21, NYU went on to clinch the set with a 4-1 run, capped off by back-to-back Charlie Clifford kills.

The two teams once again traded points all throughout the second frame. Neither team led by more than one until the backend of the set.

Tied at 16-16, Stevens grew separation by winning four of the next five rallies. However, the Violets came right back with an 8-2 run, which closed out the set. In the run, Veer Agarwal came up with three kills.

NYU led for much of the final frame but did fall behind late in the set. With the score even at 12-12, the Violets gained breathing room with a 6-2 run. The Ducks answered back, though, flipping the scoreboard with a 6-1 run of their own. 

After a Stevens kill to put the Ducks up 21-20, NYU brought up match point by winning four of the next five rallies. The Ducks stayed alive, however, scoring three consecutive points to get to within set point. The Violets then responded by winning three straight points of their own and putting away the match. Emerson Evans and Agarwal had the match-winning block.

Charlie Clifford led the team with 15 kills on .433 hitting. Agarwal was a perfect 1.000 on the night with seven kills. Both Evans and Bennet Tchaikovsky collected 15 digs on the night.

NYU will next take on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on the road on Saturday, March 7, in Cambridge, MA.