R-N OUTSMARTS HARVARD, DUKES IT OUT WITH USC
Katie Barry
Issue date: 2/6/06 Section: Sports
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In their first match against Harvard, Derek Wolfe got the team to a jump start serving a string of five points, two of which were aces, and chipped in two kills. Henry Richardson was strong at the net, along with McGowan, completely shutting down Harvard's offense. Kenny Rienecker had a solid third game performance, chipping in with clutch blocks and kills, while libero Andrew Pink picked up the slack.
Harvard appeared rattled by the incessant heckling from Rutgers' fans, making it a quick three-game match.
The men's team came out strong the following night to take on USC, who just came off a big win to rival UCLA, to yet another packed house.
Leading the spiking offensive against USC were Brian Honsberger, Eric Honsberger, and Danny McGowan, collectively knocking down thirty-seven.
Mark Hulse, in at the setting position, stepped it up and set the pace, dishing out 44 assists on the night. As a team, the Raiders had impressive saves and volleys, but USC won the big rallies and dug up more balls.
The tournament MVP, USC's Juan Figueroa hammered a tournament-high 23 kills to take his No. 13-ranked Trojans to victory. The Raiders came unseamed, and could not stir anything up offensively, taking the loss in four games. Their record now stands at 3-6.
Their legions of fans were testament to their thriving fan base, which put a tremendous amount of pressure on the other team. When asked about the crowd presence, USC's Matt Mosko commented, "You hear them, definitely, and it kind of gets in your head."
He went on to applaud their school spirit by saying, "It's great that they're out here, especially the boys with their faces painted. I thought it was great. Good to see."
Mosko getting pegged in the face with a monster overpass for a kill was a crowd booster, but afterwards he added, "Ya know, it's just something you have to shake off and smile through. I mean, he got me good! But at least we won. They're a great team."
Other tournament action included NJIT losing in three to USC on Friday, but coming back to whomp Harvard in three the next day. NJIT's Leonardo Paludo, a native of Brazil, noted, "This is my favorite place so far in America to play. I wish we could have played Rutgers. I think we are evenly matched; 50/50."
The men's team travels to NYU Tuesday, and will return for two games at the Dome on Friday and Saturday against George Mason and Sacred Heart.
Check back page listings (The 'Raider Sked') for times.
*Tina "Wyoming" Nielson won the residents' raffle, walking away with an IPod Shuffle.