Box Score

NEWARK, NJ—Janet Snell was the match leader in kills (12) and digs (17), helping NJIT to a straight-set win (25-19, 25-23, 25-19) over visiting Texas-Pan American in Great West Conference women's volleyball Saturday evening in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.
 
NJIT (6-11 overall, 1-1 GWC) won for the third time in the last four matches, as the Highlanders rebounded from a 1-3 loss in the conference opener against Houston Baptist two nights earlier. Texas-Pan American (4-14, 1-1 GWC) came to Newark with a three-match winning streak that included a win at Chicago State in the GWC opener for those two teams, also on September 29.
 
Snell, the junior outside hitter, was followed in the kills department by junior Renata Pandolfo, who notched 10 kills and also finished with eight digs and four blocks (2 solo, 2 assists). Julia Colombo, the current Great West Player of the Week, had another strong match, putting down nine kills, with just two errors in 18 swings (.389), while also posting four block assists.
 
Junior setter Anna Mercado triggered the Highlander offense with a match-best 32 assists and she also led all players with two service aces, as NJIT had a 4-2 edge in aces.
 
In addition to Janet Snell's 17 digs, the Highlanders got 14 digs from Janet's older sister, Audrey, the senior libero. NJIT had a 56-42 lead in digs and the team blocking was nearly even—eight total team blocks for the Highlanders to 7.5 for the Broncs.
 
Two UTPA hitters reached double-figures in kills, as Ijanae Holman led the way (11), followed closely by Krysta Freitas (10). Freshman setter Shauna Miller finished with 26 assists. She also had four block assists.
 
On defense, junior libero Juri Franzen paced the visitors with 13 digs. Sarah Davis, a junior middle, had a match-leading five block assists for UTPA.
 
Even though NJIT swept the match in three sets, they were all competitive.
 
In the opening set, the biggest lead up to the 10th point was two and NJIT did not gain the upper hand until it broke a 10-10 tie with three straight points. Those three points began a 9-4 surge that put the Highlanders in charge, 19-14, and they led by at least three the rest of the way to the 25-19 win.
 
The second set was the closest of the evening and was tied at 8-8 before the Highlanders took a lead they held until the Broncs drew even at 20-20. Down 16-19, UTPA actually rallied for a 21-20 advantage, tying and going ahead on back-to-back errors by the home team. NJIT responded with a 4-1 spurt. Michelle McNamee had a kill for the Broncs to stave off set point, but Pandolfo put down a kill to secure the 25-23 win for the Highlanders.
 
After allowing UTPA the first point of the third set, the Highlanders took charge with a 7-1 run and played from in front the rest of the way. Even so, the visitors did not fall easily. NJIT opened an 11-4 lead, but the Broncs came back with a 10-4 run of their own, trimming the Highlander lead to 15-14.
 
The momentum swung a couple of more times, with NJIT going up 17-14 and UTPA closing back to 16-17. The Highlander lead fluctuated between one and two points up to 19-17, when NJIT used a 6-2 spurt to finish the set 25-19. Fernanda Lima had the kill for set and match point.
 
NJIT will play its next three matches on the road in the Great West Conference, beginning with a match on Thursday at North Dakota in a 7 pm (CT) start.