Box Score
 

NEWARK, NJ—Texas-Pan American swept NJIT in straight sets, 25-16, 25-20, and 25-20 in the Great West Conference women's volleyball home opener for the Highlanders Thursday night in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.

Senior Marci Logan had a double-double for the victorious Broncs, posting a match-best 12 kills, plus 12 digs. Ijanae Holman added 10 kills to the UTPA attack and setter Rita Gonzalez finished with 33 assists.

On defense, Texas-Pan American had three players with double-figure digs totals. Gonzalez, the setter, and Kaitlin Vasquez had 15 digs apiece, along with Logan's 12. Sarah Davis was the blocking leader for UTPA with a block solo and a block assist and her two aces led the Broncs, as well.

The kills leader for NJIT was sophomore Janet Snell, who notched 11. Anna Mercado collected 17 assists and paced the Highlanders with two service aces.

Baaba Hughes led NJIT on defense, with a team-best 12 digs and two block solos.

Texas-Pan American started the night well, jumping to a 7-2 lead in the opening set. NJIT still trailed by five, at 8-13, but rallied and closed to within two, 13-15, before falling back again.

The Broncs took another quick lead in the second set, 5-1, but NJIT came back for a 5-5 tie, the second of nine in the match. The last tie was at 15-15, before UTPA took control on a Holman kill, followed by three straight Highlander attack errors. Leading, 21-19, Texas-Pan American closed the set with 5-1 spurt.

Reversing the trend of the first two sets, the Highlanders opened the third set, 5-1, 10-3, and 11-5. The visitors fought back into contention, but NJIT still led, 15-13, before the Broncs won the next seven straight points and nine of the next 10. Ariana Bermea was the server on the last seven points in UTPA's 9-1 run.

The result left Texas-Pan American at 1-1 in conference play and 4-12 overall. NJIT is 1-2 in the Great West and 2-10 overall.

The next match for the Highlanders is Saturday at 2 pm, when they host Houston Baptist in another Great West tilt in the Fleisher Athletic Center