Box Score
 
NEWARK, NJ – Freshman TJ Jurko led the Highlanders with 20 kills en route to their 3-1 non-conference men's volleyball win over Lees-McRae Saturday evening at the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center in the home opener for NJIT.
 
The Highlanders won their third straight match, defeating the Bobcats Saturday, 25-17, 22-25, 25-22, and 25-20.  NJIT improves to 3-3 on the young season while Lees-McRae falls to 1-3.
 
Jurko, an outside hitter from Weston, Florida, has now posted double-digit kills in five out of six contests for the Highlanders.  The 20 kills on Saturday ties career-high for the freshman, who notched 20 kills vs. Grand Canyon in his college debut on January 13.
 
Following Jurko's 20 kills was sophomore Herman Kantushov with 11 kills on 26 swings and just one error for a .385 hitting percentage.  Kantushov was credited with a team-high two service aces. 
 
Senior Adam Gustafson was one dig shy a double-double, as the right side hitter produced nine kills and 14 digs for NJIT.  Freshman Setter Zak Robben piled up 35 assists and added six digs.
 
Gustafson was the match leader with 14 digs followed by libero Brady Smith with 11.  In front of the next, Kevin Van Oss combined for four total blocks (three assists and one solo) while Doug Battersby totaled three total blocks (two solo and one assist).
 
Lees-McRae was led by sophomore outside hitter Jose Ribas's 20 kills and six digs.  Classmate John Lucas added 11 kills and nine digs while setter Randy Ramirez notched a match-high 46 assists and finished the match with a .714 hitting percentage with five kills, no errors on seven attempts.  Lucas and libero Efrain Negron each dug-up nine balls for the Bobcats.
 
NJIT took control of the first set early as the Highlanders jumped out to a 12-5 lead after back-to-back kills by Kantushov.  The Highlanders led by as many as 11, 20-9, after two errors by the Bobcats.  Lees-McRae came as close as 8, 24-16, but Jurko put away the first set with a kill for a 25-17 win.  Jurko led the first set with four kills.
 
In the second frame, Lees-McRae was paced by Ribas's seven kills as the Bobcats hit .400 for the frame (14k, 4e, 25a).
 
The set remained close early with the fifth tie coming at 10-10 after a kill by Kantushov and the Highlanders went on a quick 4-1 run pulling ahead, 14-11.  After a time out by the visitors, the Bobcats scored the next two points and took its third lead of the set, 18-17, on a kill by Ramirez resulting in an NJIT timeout.  The set saw four ties, the last at 21-21, as the Highlanders rallied off two straight points and finished off the set on a kill by Jurko and blocks by Battersby and Gustafson for a 25-22 victory.
 
In the final frame, the Highlanders went up 9-5 after three straight attack errors by the Bobcats.  Lees-McRae closed the gap to within two, 14-12 on a kill by Ramirez but the Highlanders responded with a pair of kills by Jurko, for a 16-12 lead.  Lees-McRae battled back to within three, 20-17, after two kills by Lucas but the home team finished off the set on a 4-1 spurt for a 25-20 victory.  Jurko and Kantoshuv combined for 12 kills in the set.
 
The Highlanders will host New Jersey City University on Tuesday at 7pm in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.  NJCU comes into Tuesday's contest with a 2-2 overall record.