Box Score
HOBOKEN, NJ - Facing a brutal four game schedule early in the season, the Crimson Eagles knew they'd be heavily battle-tested heading into their second full week of action.
On Wednesday, one of those keynote tests was passed.
Looking more like a group that's primed to make a deep playoff run than a squad that's only eight days removed from their season opener, the Crimson Eagles smothered the quack of the Stevens IT Ducks on Wednesday, running past the fourth-ranked team in the nation by scores of 30-28, 30-22, 30-28.
The ninth-ranked Crimson Eagles collected their second win in four days over a nationally ranked foe, this time punishing their counterpart with 53 kills on a .250 hitting percentage for the match, signaling the fourth straight outing PBU has topped the 50-kill plateau.
Despite 11.5 total team blocks from Stevens, the visitors countered the Ducks' best punch by relying heavily on their two time All-American outside hitter, Justin Brubaker. Brubaker produced 25 smashes on a .400 hitting percentage while amassing 12 digs on the defensive end for the Crimson Eagles. It marks the fourth consecutive contest Brubaker has surpassed the 20-kill barrier.
PBU would be forced to play in catch-up mode during the opening set of the night. The Ducks would jump out to a 16-11 advantage before the visitors would come roaring back to notch things at 19-apiece. With things in limbo down the stretch, PBU would close out the opening stanza on a spike by Noah Prickett to seal a 30-28 Crimson Eagles' victory.
The second set wouldn't prove as difficult for the red and white. PBU would jump out to a 10-5 edge before swelling their lead to 19-11, eventually capturing a 30-22 win.
During the third and final stanza, the Crimson Eagles would once again find themselves locked with Stevens at 19-all. The Ducks would go ahead 24-23 but a 7-4 rally down the stretch fueled by four straight kills from Brubaker would seal the deal.
Junior setter Drew Dillon finished the match with 43 assists and eight digs and Leandro Deuck added 11 kills and eight stops defensively. Noah Pricket would chip in with eight and eight, respectively.
The Crimson Eagles improve to 4-1 on the season following Wednesday's win.
PBU will return to the court this Saturday, taking on CUNY-York during a doubleheader in the Mason Activity Center. Match one against the Cardinals is slated for 7:00 pm while match two is set for 9:00 pm.
