Box Score
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – Rutgers took a four-set match from visiting NJIT Wednesday evening led by junior Alex Jones with a match-high 20 kills en route to a 3-1 victory over the Highlanders at College Ave Gym. The match was originally scheduled for Tuesday, August 30.
The visiting Highlanders (1-1) jumped out to an early lead taking the first set, 25-20. The Scarlet Knights pulled even with a tight 26-24 victory in the second frame. Rutgers defeated the Highlanders 25-19 in the third and sealed the match with a 25-22 victory in the final set.
Rutgers (2-3) had three players reach double figures in the victory. Brittany Bozzini and Hannah Curtis followed Jones's career-high 20 kills recording 14 kills apiece for the home team. Curtis, a senior middle blocker posted 14 kills on 23 swings with just two errors for a .522 hitting percentage.
Five different Scarlet Knights reached double-figures in the digs category led by Stephanie Zielinski with a team-high 14 digs. Sheridan Taylor added 13, Alyssa Monka and Kallie Pence (12) and Bozzini (11). Taylor was one kill and one assist shy a triple double finishing up with 9 kills, 9 assists and 13 digs for Rutgers. Zielinski, the junior setter piled up a match-high 48 assists.
NJIT freshman Camilla Tinari put together a strong all-around performance recording her first collegiate double-double notching 15 kills and 11 digs. Tinari also added five block assists, four assists and two service aces.
Junior Janet Snell was one kill shy a double-double posting nine kills and 10 digs while Renata Pandolfo followed with eight and Julia Colombo and Fernanda Lima each produced seven kills apiece. Colombo, the Highlanders sophomore middle, finished the match with a .462 hitting percentage (7k, 1e, 13a) adding six digs and four block assists.
Defensively, four different Highlanders posted double-figures led by libero Audrey Snell and Pandolfo's match-high 15 digs. Tinari followed with (11), Janet Snell (10) and Anna Mercado (9). Mercado, the Highlanders setter posted 35 assists.
NJIT finished with an 8-4 advantage in service aces led by Mercado, Tinari and Audrey Snell with two apiece and a 10-4 advantage in team blocks. Lima posted six total blocks (one solo, five assists).
In the first set, the Highlanders took control early jumping out to an 11-4 lead when Rutgers head coach called a timeout. NJIT went on to lead as many as eight, 21-13 until the Scarlet Knights pulled to within four of the Highlanders, 24-20, on a kill by Jones. NJIT scored the next point to take the set, 25-20, on a kill by Pandolfo.
Rutgers took a 12-6 lead to begin the second set but the Highlanders responded scoring six consecutive points to knot the set at 12. The set seesawed back and forth midway through the action, which saw five ties, the last at 17 on a Scarlet Knight service error. Rutgers went on a 6-1 spurt extending the lead to 23-18 on a kill by Bozzini. The visitors scored the next four points closing the gap to within one, 23-22. A kill by Pandolfo tied the match at 24 but Rutgers closed out the set with back-to-back kills by Jones and Sofi Cucuz, for a 26-24 win.
The teams went back and forth for most of the third frame until a kill by Curtis gave Rutgers a four-point lead, 18-14. The Highlanders went on a 4-1 run closing the gap to one, 19-18 but Rutgers would score the last five points of the set for a 25-19 win.
Rutgers clinched the match with a 25-22 victory led by Curtis with six kills.
The Highlanders will return to action this weekend at the Hofstra Invitational. NJIT will face Princeton on Friday at 4:30pm and take on Fairfield on Saturday at 2:30pm.
NJIT will open up at home on Tuesday, September 6 vs. Lehigh. The match is scheduled to start at 7pm.
