Kean Men’s Volleyball Team Faces Off In Tri-match At The Kean Hardwood Arena

By Keyon Gardner | Published February 28, 2022

The Kean men’s volleyball team stands (6-4) overall after winning their first four matches and went in with another explosive burst to their eighth game for the season giving their audiences a good show to watch Saturday afternoon.

Senior star volleyball player Duncan Beilke dominated another game with 19 kills as his career-high at the Kean Harwood arena Saturday afternoon along with Rajheem Muelens, Ryan DiCandilo, and Maxwell Thompson who scored notable points for the team.

They faced off against Juniata college and SUNY Potsdam in a split tri-match just early Saturday afternoon.

Despite Kean Cougars taking the lead in the first set with a 25-22 victory over Juniata College after hitting a .360. Juniata came back and took over the second set with a 26-24 victory leaving the cougars with a shaky head start.

Beilke and freshman Rajheem Meulens teamed up in the third set with eight straight kills just as they scored with a .500 leaving the third match with a 25-23 victory. “We have a fiery bunch who are passionate about the sport of volleyball,” said Coach Charlie Ginex who believes his team turns their passion into a valuable tool that helps them win games.

Going back and forth, Juniata closes out the fourth set with a 26-24 set victory and eventually goes for the last kill in the final set of the match.

The Kean Cougars finished up Saturday’s match with the crowd cheering on some of their most famed players.

 “We played some of our best volleyball all year on Saturday. On the court it felt like we were a cohesive unit” Beilke said.  Beilke totaled 37 kills in two matches.

Beilke and his teammates Thompson, Meulens, and Ryan DiCandilo all tallied double-digit kills for the Cougars, “who needed five sets to defeat the Bears (4-11). After trading the first four sets, the match went to a deciding fifth set,” according to Kean athletics.

 “I think the biggest improvements we could make are continuing to improve on our teamwork, communication, and decision making,” Duncan said.

“Right now, our biggest improvement has to come in the form of consistency with the “little things,” said Coach Ginex. He expects his team to represent Kean university in the best way possible, “as it has done for over a decade,” said Coach Ginex.

Duncan Beilke With A Kill | Credit: Kean Athetics

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