Box Score
NEWARK, NJ—Loyola of Maryland dropped two of the first three sets, but rallied to win the last two and pull out a 3-2 win over host NJIT in the second match of the two-day Highlander challenge for both teams early Saturday afternoon in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.
NJIT took the first set, 25-17, before Loyola took a hard-fought 26-24 win in the second. The Highlanders reclaimed the upper hand with a 25-19 third-set win, but the Greyhounds staved off elimination by winning the fourth frame, 25-18.
Sustaining the momentum that had given them a 2-2 tie in set, the Greyhounds jumped to a 5-1 lead opening the deciding set.
NJIT fought back and took its only lead of the set, 12-11, thanks to back-to-back Loyola attack errors. But the Greyhounds answered with two straight points and the set was tied at 13 before Loyola clinched the set and match on consecutive attack errors by NJIT.
Loyola, which lost to Sacred Heart on Friday and UMBC earlier on Saturday, finished 1-2 in the tournament and 3-8 on the season. NJIT, which lost to UMBC on Friday, dropped to 0-2 in the tournament and 2-5 for the season.
Three Greyhounds hit for double-figure kills totals, led by Nina Camaioni's 17. Karlee Woodward and Stasia Collins both had 13 kills.
NJIT had three double-figure kills attackers as well, with Baaba Hughes and Renata Pandolfo notching 12 apiece and Kristy Haeckel coming up with 10.
Loyola setter Kristen Muscarella had 46 assists and NJIT's Danielle Thompson had 37. The service ace scoring was 10-9 for Loyola, with Camaioni's four topping the match for the Greyhounds. Thompson, Pandolfo, Agnieszka Pregowska and Sabrina Baby all served two aces apiece for NJIT.
Each team had four players with at least 10 digs. Camaioni had a match-best 32, while Katrina Hornstein led the Highlanders with 25.
The blocking was close, as well, with Loyola holding a 10-8 lead in total team blocks. The leading individual for Loyola was Woodward with six block assists. Pregowska had five block assists for the Highlanders.
Following the NJIT-Loyola match, UMBC was slated to take on Sacred Heart at 2 pm, followed by NJIT vs. Sacred Heart in the final match of the Highlander Challenge.
