NEWARK, NJ—NJIT battled its way to a thrilling 3-2 (25-20, 21-25, 27-25, 17-25, 15-4) women's volleyball win over visiting Hofstra Thursday night in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher.

The Highlanders, who have won their last two matches to go 5-10 on the season, scored what is likely one of the most impressive wins of NJIT's Division I era (since 2006) with the victory over Hofstra (9-7).

With one of the richest women's volleyball traditions in the East, Hofstra made six appearances in the NCAA Division I Tournament between 1995 and 2006. This year, Hofstra owns wins over Fairfield (3-0), Princeton (3-1), and Rutgers (3-1), all of which have defeated NJIT in 2011. In addition, Hofstra was 2-0 in its previous matches against the Highlanders, including 3-0 at Hofstra in 2010.

But things were different Thursday night, as NJIT had a higher hitting percentage than Hofstra (.224 to .187), plus a 7-2 advantage in service aces and an 11-8 margin in team blocks against the taller Pride.

Sophomore middle Julia Colombo had the best match of her Highlander career, notching a career-best16 kills from the middle, with only one error in 27 swings (.556 attack pct.). She also had three blocks (1 solo, 2 assists).

Other efficient hitters for NJIT were junior Renata Pandolfo (8 kills, 1 error), junior Fernanda Lima (7 kills, 1 error). Janet Snell finished with a lower hitting percentage, but her 14 kills were second to Colombo's 16.

Sophomore Gretchen VonKoenig, who has stepped into the starting lineup in the absence of the ill Camilla Tinari, posted a match-best seven blocks (all assisted) in her second start of the year.

Junior setter Anna Mercado had a double-double with 40 assists and 11 digs.

Mercado was one of four Highlanders to post double-figure digs totals on the night, led by senior libero Audrey Snell's 16 digs. Audrey also served three of NJIT's seven aces. Janet Snell finished with 15 digs, while Pandolfo, who missed all of 2010 with a shoulder injury, looked more like her all-around self from her two early seasons, with 12 digs, the eight kills and four block assists. Lima also had three blocks (1 solo, 2 assists).

Hofstra, coming off a 2-1 showing in the Aggie Invitational at UC Davis that included wins over Seattle and Air Force, got a match-best 21 kills from freshman Kelsie Wills, an import from New Zealand. On the defensive side, she had 17 digs.

Catalina Charry, a junior setter, posted a match-best 55 assists, as Hofstra had five players with double-figures in kills. The Pride had 68 kills to 48 for the Highlanders, but the visitors also committed 33 attack errors to 14 for NJIT.

Junior libero Kylee Maneja of Hofstra led everyone with 25 digs, while Nikki Kinier and 6-foot-3 senior Anissa Whitney each had four block assists. Taylor Moore and Erika Charry added three block assists apiece for the visitors.

NJIT set the tone for the night with a 25-20 win in the opening set that did not see a five-point lead until Colombo notched kills on the last two points of the set. She had five kills in six attempts in the set.

The Highlanders jumped out in the second set, 5-1 and 8-2, but Hofstra went on a big run, turning a 4-9 deficit into a 16-14 lead with a 12-5 spurt. The Pride led from 15-14 on as three hitters struck for four kills.

Trailing the third set early (2-6), NJIT got back on its feet and took the lead at 13-12 and later went up, 21-16. However, Hofstra rallied and stayed alive on potential set point twice, before Colombo and Pandolfo registered kills to deliver the set to the Highlanders, 27-25.

Hofstra responded with a one-sided fourth set, 25-17, powered by a 20-kill, 4-error performance on the attack, led by Wills' seven kills. Hofstra went wire-to-wire, building an 8-2 lead early. Up 9-7, the Pride ran off ran off three straight points and led by at least four the rest of the set.

Despite Hofstra's easy win in the fourth set, there was zero carryover into the deciding set, as NJIT took the first three points and then led 4-2, before scoring nine straight points in a run that was undeterred by two Hofstra timeouts. Three different Highlanders had kills in the 9-0 run, which also included three Hofstra errors and an ace for Janet Snell.

The run put NJIT in an unassailable 13-2 lead and the Highlanders finished off the match and set with a Pandolfo hit from the outside that ate up two would-be Hofstra blockers as it spun into their torsos and then into the net before hitting the floor for match point.

The Highlanders will be off for a week, with the next match set for Thursday, September 29 at 7 pm in the Great West Conference opener against Houston Baptist in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.