Box Score
NEWARK, NJ – NJIT had three players reach double-figure kill totals en route to a 3-1 victory over University of South Dakota in Great West Conference women’s volleyball action Thursday evening at the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.
NJIT took the second, third and fourth sets, only losing in the first frame. The scores were 28-30, 25-11, 25-16 and 25-21.
The Highlanders are now 16-8 overall, 6-3 in the Great West Conference. In the first meeting between the teams in Vermillion, SD, on October 25, South Dakota defeated the Highlanders in a thrilling 3-2 victory. South Dakota falls to 11-14 on the season, 5-5 in the conference.
Sophomore Renata Pandolfo led the Highlanders with a team-high 20 kill performance and 24 digs. Junior Baaba Hughes followed behind with 15 kills while freshman Janet Snell posted a career-night with 13 kills and 20 digs.
Senior libero Sabrina Baby set a new individual Division I match record with 45 digs in a four set-match. Baby recorded 42 digs against Sacred Heart in a five-set match on October 27, 2007.
Setter Erica Schultz piled up a match-high 46 assists and added 18 digs on the defensive end. Freshman Fernanda Lima led the Highlanders in front of the net with a team-best three total blocks (1 solo, 2 assists).
South Dakota’s Kristen Kritenbrink led the match with 21 kills while Bailey Reshel added 13. Coyote’s setter Gina Baldwin handed out a team-high 38 assists.
The Coyotes had four players reach double-figures in the digs category paced by Mallory Mork’s 32 digs. Kritenbrink followed with 18, Baldwin 15, and Jillian Field with 10.
South Dakota gained the upper hand with a 30-28 win in the first set, as Kritenbrink picked up eight kills.
NJIT evened the match, 1-1, jumping out to a quick 10-4 lead in the second set and would stay ahead by as many as 14 to close out the set 25-11. Pandolfo and Hughes combined for 22 kills.
The Highlanders dominated the third set grabbing a 25-16 win led by Snell and Haeckel with four kills.
NJIT and South Dakota went back and forth in the final set, which saw 11 ties, the last at 18-18 on a service error by the Coyotes. NJIT answered with back-to-back kills by Pandolfo and Lima pulling ahead 20-18. South Dakota never got closer than three the rest of the way, and the Highlanders claimed the fourth set, 25-21.
The Highlanders will wrap up its home schedule on Saturday at 2pm against University of North Dakota. Before the start of the match, NJIT will honor four seniors in pre-game ceremonies.