Box Score 

FAIRFIELD, CT – Junior Roger Parent had a team-high 18 kills and 13 digs leading Sacred Heart to a 3-1 win over NJIT in Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Hay Division opener for both squads Wednesday night.

The first and second sets were close, as Sacred Heart opened with a 30-22 win, before NJIT bounced back, 30-24, in the second frame.  The Pioneers gained the upper hand with a 30-17 win in the third set and took the fourth set, before holding off the Highlanders, 30-25, to clinch the match.

The Highlanders were paced by freshman Christian Puszies career-high 24 kills.  The freshman was one dig shy his first career double-double collecting nine digs.

Sophomore setter Adam Gustafson piled up 44 assists, nine digs and three block assists for the Highlanders.  Classmate Glen DeMagalhaes dug-up a match-high 16 digs while  Brady Smith added nine digs.  Charles Bell had five total blocks for NJIT in front of the net as the Highlanders edged the Pioneers 15-14.

The Pioneers had four players post double-figure kill totals – Parent (18), Mike Komlanc and Kalani Efstathiou (12) apiece while Nick Hunt added (10).  Hunt had a .533 hitting percentage (10k, 2e, 15a) followed by Komlac's .429 (12k, 3a, 21a) for Sacred Heart. 

Tim Sadowski had a match-high 55 assists while Kolmac posted a match-high 8 total blocks (6 solo; 2 assists).  Hunt added five block assists.

The Highlanders will open up at home on Friday at 7pm when they host Princeton at the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.