NEWARK, NJ—It took two hours and twenty minutes, but when it was over, NJIT had won its 2011 women's volleyball home opener, defeating Lehigh, 3-2, Tuesday night in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.

The Highlanders (2-3) prevailed by scores of 25-17, 22-25, 26-24, 21-25, and 15-11 against Lehigh, which came in having won three of its first four matches on the season, losing only to James Madison (2-3 in JMU's tournament).

The leading hitters for the victorious Highlanders were junior Janet Snell with 19 kills and freshman Camilla Tinari (16). Fernanda Lima (8 kills) and Julia Colombo (7) did not reach double-figures, but they had some timely points hitting from the middle.

Junior Anna Mercado notched 49 assists, a personal career high and the most for a Highlander setter since Erica Schultz posted 54 assists in five sets vs. Sacred Heart in a 3-2 win on October 27, 2007.

Mercado also led the way in serving, picking up four aces, as the Highlanders had a 9-7 advantage in that department.

Not surprisingly, in a five-set match with a combined 357 attack attempts, there were plenty of digs on both sides of the net and NJIT got 29 digs from senior Audrey Snell, matching her career high first set last October 23 in five sets vs. South Dakota. Tinari, the talented freshman, collected 25 digs for a double-double (16 kills)—her third in five college matches.

The Highlanders were outblocked as a team, 14-9, but Lima and Colombo each picked up three individual blocks (one solo and two assists each).

Lehigh had three players with double-figure kills totals, led by sophomore Courtney McCutchan (18). Senior setter Jessica Kudirka was credited with 44 assists and reigning Patriot League Player of the Week, Angelika Kopacz, a resident of nearby Rutherford, NJ, was the aces leader for the Mountain Hawks, with three. She also had 13 kills.

On defense, the Mountain Hawks combined for 89 digs, with five individuals reaching double figures. The digs leader was sophomore libero Rachel Charles, with 19. Sophomore Amanda Clark had eight block assists to lead Lehigh, while Taylor Poole (three block solos, two block assists) and Paige Kruse (one block solo, four block assists) each contributed five blocks.

The first set was close in the early going. NJIT never trailed after 7-6, but it took a 6-1 run to push the advantage from 9-8 to 15-9. The Highlanders used a let 5-0 spurt to go up 24-14, before three straight Lehigh points staved off set point. Janet Snell, assisted by her older sister, Audrey, finally secured the set, 25-17.

The next three sets were extremely close and appeared headed in the direction of each teams at various points.

NJIT built a 20-15 lead in the second set, only to have the Mountain Hawks swoop back with eight straight points. After the second Highlanders timeout of the set, they grabbed the next two points to close back to 22-23, but Lehigh took the set on a block and a service ace, 25-22.

Down most of the third set, including as late as 14-19, NJIT rallied, 7-1, and took a 21-20 lead. The teams traded single points before the visitors ran off three straight points for a 24-22 advantage. The Highlanders, again after a timeout called by coach JR Martins, responded with four straight points on kills by Lima and Tinari, a combined block by the same duo and a Lehigh hitting error.

The fourth set was tied as late as 15-15, but the Highlanders were able to go up, 18-16 and 20-18. But the Mountain Hawks reeled off six straight points down two and grabbed a 24-20 lead. NJIT got a point, but Lehigh answered and forced the fifth set with  25-21 win in the fourth.

Having lost momentum late in the fourth set, the Highlanders got two of the first three points in the fifth, but Lehigh soon went ahead 5-3 and 6-4. NJIT drew even at 6-6 on a kill from the middle by Colombo, before the visitors scored a point for what would be their last lead of the night.

The Highlanders followed with a Janet Snell kill; an ace by freshman Katie Goswick, who was inserted in the lineup specifically to serve; and, a kill by Lima.

Lehigh then won two of the next three points to trail, 9-10, but the Highlanders took control by securing four of the next five points, as Janet Snell had a service ace and kill in the decisive spurt. Leading 13-9, NJIT traded the next four points and closed out the set and match on a kill by Tinari.

Next up for the Highlanders is the West Point Challenge, hosted by Army on September 9 (Friday) and 11 (Sunday). The four opponents for NJIT will be Army, Marist, Arkansas, and Dartmouth.