NEWARK, NJ—Seton Hall came back after losing the first two sets to score a 3-2 women's volleyball victory at NJIT Thursday night in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.

NJIT which came into the non-conference match having won back-to-back contests for the first time this season, took a 2-0 lead on scores of 25-19 and 25-20.

But Seton Hall got back into contention with a decisive 25-15 third-set win and then drew even with a hard-fought 25-22 decision in the fourth set. The Pirates took a commanding 12-6 lead in the deciding set and then held off an NJIT spurt to clinch the match, 15-11.

Junior opposite Meghan Matusiak led the attack with 26 kills for Seton Hall (8-12). She was also the serving leader for the Pirates, notching two aces. Hannah Hugeback (16 kills) and Meghan Bonk (11 kills) also posted double-figure kills totals for The Hall.

NJIT (4-12) got an offense-defense double-double from sophomore Janet Snell, who led the attack with 16 kills and added 17 digs on the floor. Senior Baaba Hughes notched 15 kills, with just three errors for the Highlanders.

Seton Hall setter Olivia Trudeau posted 48 assists, while NJIT used two setters. Freshman Carly Ziemer came off the bench for 27 assists and the starter, sophomore Anna Mercado added 20 assists for the Highlanders. Mercado also had a match-best four service aces, as NJIT enjoyed an 8-3 advantage in that area.

NJIT had a 9-6 team blocking edge against the taller team from the Big East Conference. 

Freshman middle Julia Colombo led NJIT with five total blocks (two solo, three assisted) and she added three services. Sophomore Fernanda Lima added four blocks (one solo, three assisted).

The blocking leaders for Seton Hall were Trudeau and Morgan DeVries, with five block assists apiece.

Four Highlanders had double-figures in digs, led by 20 from Audrey Snell. Janet Snell had 17, Mercado had 15 and freshman Katie Bartlett ended with 14.

Seton Hall's libero, Alyssa Warren, picked up a match-best 22 digs, while Hugeback had 13 and Kalie Marshall added 12.

There were five ties and four lead changes in the first set, but NJIT went ahead to stay at 11-10, opening a 4-0 spurt. Janet Snell led the way with six kills.

Seton Hall took an early 7-3 lead in the second set, but the Highlanders collected eight of the next nine points for an 11-9 advantage and led the rest of the way, leading by as many as five points on eight occasions in the 25-20 win. Janet Snell had six more kills and Hughes added five for the Highlanders.

The Pirates dominated the third set, scoring the first three points and going wire-to-wire for the 25-15 win powered by a .325 team hitting percentage that included six kills for Matusiak.

The fourth set turned out to be NJIT's last best chance for the win, as the teams were tied, 21-21, but Seton Hall won, 25-22, forcing a fifth set. Matusiak had kills on three of Seton Hall's final four points. Bartlett, the Highlander freshman, had four kills in six swings in the set.

With the deciding set tied at two points apiece, took control with three straight points, two on Matusiak kills. The Pirates went up, 8-3, and eventually, 12-6, before the Highlanders got back in contention with 5-1 burst that closed the score to 11-13. After a timeout, Seton Hall secured the match on successive kills by Hugeback and Bonk.

NJIT honored 2010 graduate Sabrina Baby in a ceremony before the match Thursday, noting her awards from 2009-10 since the completion of her playing career in November of 2009. The awards were: CAANJ 2009-10 Division I Student-Athlete of the Year; Great West Conference 2009-10 SAAC Sportsmanship Award; 2009 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America 3rd team; 2009 NCAA Division I national digs per set statistical champion; and, 2009 Great West Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

The Highlanders will resume play next Tuesday, October 12, at 5 pm, when they visit Hofstra in Hempstead, NY.