The Harvard males’s volleyball workforce fell to New Jersey Institute of Expertise on Thursday at College Park, P.A., within the semifinals of the 2022 Japanese Intercollegiate Volleyball Affiliation match. The match was the Crimson’s first journey to the playoffs because it gained the match in 2018.

Harvard (12-13, 10-6 EIVA) entered the match because the No. 2 seed, having swept George Mason (13-14, 7-9) in a double-header the earlier weekend. The workforce’s offensive and defensive performances crystallized in official recognition from the EIVA: each senior captain Jason Shen and sophomore center blocker Ethan Smith have been named EIVA Gamers of the Week. The Crimson acquired a bye within the quarterfinals and awaited the winner of the match between George Mason and NJIT. NJIT gained that matchup, organising a dramatic tiebreaker to the 1-1 cut up it had with Harvard throughout their two common season video games.

The hosts defended their courts, with Harvard prevailing 3-1 in Cambridge in February however falling to the Highlanders 3-0 throughout April’s showdown in Newark.

Senior exterior hitter Eric Li noticed the home-court benefit as a vital issue to his workforce’s win towards NJIT earlier within the season and one thing the workforce couldn’t faucet into on the impartial web site in College Park.

“The familiarity with our house courtroom and the setting there positively gave us a bonus and allowed us to maintain our momentum going,” Li mentioned. “It was slightly completely different from the match we performed on Thursday… It felt tougher to keep up that momentum all through, which is one thing we’d have preferred to do higher.”

Much like February’s match, the Crimson bought out to a quick begin on Thursday, taking the opening set 25-17. Kills from senior exterior hitter Campbell Schoenfeld and Li, who had 15 and 14 on the evening, respectively, allowed the second seed to go on runs early within the set.

“Within the first set we got here out actually scorching,” Shen mentioned. “We performed rather well, put NJIT again on their heels, and I used to be pleased with that. That reveals that our workforce was prepared and was within the mindset, however we left the door slightly open. In volleyball when you have got a workforce on their heels like that, you simply have to complete it. We stored the door open, allow them to again in, they usually have been a robust workforce and we weren’t capable of combat again in direction of the top. We have been nonetheless aggressive and fought onerous however couldn’t swing it our method.”

Thursday marked the top of Shen’s tenure as captain for Harvard, and along with his management he additionally offered 12 digs to defend his workforce from Highlander spikes.

Regardless of persevering with its dominance with a robust 4-1 begin to the second set, the Crimson quickly fell to an eight-point NJIT run. Harvard managed to shut the hole and stage the rating at 20-20 earlier than being outscored 5-1 within the ultimate six factors of the set. The Highlanders managed to drag away towards the center of the third, making its technique to a 21-13 lead earlier than closing it out 25-18 and coming inside a one-set hole of a championship matchup with Princeton.

Li noticed the service recreation as the explanation for NJIT’s success.

“What actually turned the tide was NJIT discovered their groove from the service line,” Li mentioned. “They made it robust on our serve-receive to get good passes to our setter and to be in system. We had blocking match, and offensively we have been good, too. I feel the large distinction was the swing on the service line. We have been serving higher in that first set, however because the match went on they started to serve higher and put much more stress on us.”

“The time we beat New Jersey earlier within the season, we completely shut down their hitters defensively by means of blocks and digs,” Shen mentioned. “That’s what we did that first set. New Jersey’s workforce, they went again and adjusted, they began selecting up kills, and we couldn’t reply in time. They adjusted rather well, and we didn’t as a lot.”

The Crimson tried a fourth set comeback to cease the bleeding. Schoenfeld offered kills at essential moments, beginning Harvard runs and stymieing NJIT runs. Smith, sophomore center blocker Ethan McCrary, and first-year exterior hitter Logan Shepherd additionally contributed to the workforce’s competitiveness. Though the Crimson managed to remain within the match and inside a couple of factors of the Highlanders, it might solely save two match factors earlier than falling 25-22.

“The final set we pushed by means of,” Shen recalled. “We have been down early and will’ve written that off, however we stored on combating. It doesn’t matter what the state of affairs is, the aggressive hearth is there.”

Though the season is over, there have been many shiny spots within the workforce’s efficiency. The semifinal end was Harvard’s finest previously 4 years. The workforce’s youth additionally proved to be integral to the Crimson’s success; Li famous first-year setter James Bardin, who had 45 assists, 4 digs, and 4 blocks on Thursday, as an excellent addition to the workforce. Bardin has been a staple of the lineup all through the entire 12 months. Li additionally recommended the contributions of Shepherd, who was inserted into the beginning lineup later within the season.

“I am pleased with what this system has accomplished this 12 months after having principally a full 12 months off and having to return along with a lineup consisting of some new gamers and a few older guys and making it work,” Li mentioned. “It offers me plenty of optimism for the path of this system and the tradition we’ve set.”

Harvard seems to be to construct upon this season’s success subsequent January with a proficient class of latest recruits in addition to returners who now have a 12 months of expertise below their belts.

—Workers author Noah Jun might be reached at noah.jun@thecrimson.com.