Rutgers–Newark delivered one of the early-season shocks in Division III on Tuesday night, outlasting Stevens in a five-set battle that swung on poise, star power, and a late takeover in Newark.
The Scarlet Raiders seized control late in the deciding set and, assuming the final point holds, close out a 3-2 win (28-26, 21-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-10) over a Stevens side that had been dictating stretches of the match and entered as the steadier favorite on paper.
This was not a clean upset. It was earned.
Stevens came out sharp, pushing the opening set to extra points before Rutgers–Newark edged it 28-26. The Ducks responded with authority, taking the next two sets behind balanced offense and efficient attacking, putting the Raiders on the brink and forcing them to chase momentum the rest of the night.
Rutgers–Newark flipped the match in the fourth. Their serving pressure increased, the block tightened, and the offense began to funnel through the right hands at the right moments. That shift carried directly into the fifth set, where the Raiders opened aggressively and never relinquished control.
Michael Suarez took over the decider.
Set after set, the offense ran through Suarez in transition and in-system swings, with Duncan Sturt repeatedly finding him in rhythm. Suarez delivered kill after kill in the fifth, answering every Stevens push and stretching the margin to multiple points. When Stevens made its last run, cutting the deficit to 14-10, Rutgers–Newark still had answers. The final sequences reflected the entire night… disciplined swings, clean connections, and trust in their go-to options.
Statistically, the match lived up to the drama. Rutgers–Newark finished with 67 kills on .319 hitting compared to Stevens’ 60 kills on .304. The Raiders also held a decisive edge at the net with 15 block assists to Stevens’ eight, a difference that showed most in extended rallies late.
Suarez led all Rutgers–Newark attackers with 19 kills, consistently producing in high-leverage swings. Aleks Kolodziej added 13, while Massimo Roco chipped in 12, giving the Raiders a three-headed attack that forced Stevens to defend the full width of the court. Sturt orchestrated the offense with 61 assists, managing tempo even as the match tightened.
Stevens countered with strong individual efforts. Ryan Schmid powered the Ducks with 22 kills, repeatedly finding seams and keeping his side within striking distance deep into the fifth. The Ducks were efficient, physical, and difficult to put away. They simply ran into a Rutgers–Newark group that elevated its level at the most important stretch.
That is what makes this result resonate.
Stevens controlled long portions of the match. They won two straight sets. They had the more stable flow for stretches. But Rutgers–Newark stayed connected, stayed patient, and then dictated the final set from the service line and in transition.
For a program looking to establish itself in the regional and national conversation, this type of win matters. It shows they can close. It shows they can lean on stars without becoming predictable. And it shows they can outlast a disciplined opponent when the match turns chaotic.
Early season or not… this is the kind of result that shifts perception.
Rutgers–Newark didn’t just survive a five-setter. They took it from a team that expected to win it.