Box Score

EASTON, PA—The NJIT women's volleyball team won the deciding set, 15-13, Tuesday evening at Lafayette as the Highlanders defeated the Leopards, 3-2, at Kirby Sports Center in women's volleyball non-conference action.

The Highlanders improve to 9-13 overall while the Leopards fall to 9-12 on the season.

After trading sets over the first four frames, Lafayette seemed to be in control in the fifth, holding a 13-10 lead, needing just two points to secure the victory. NJIT's Renata Pandolfo served a ball perfectly onto the back line to take back the lead at 14-13 and Janet Snell sealed the victory with a kill for the 15th point for the visitors.
NJIT was led by senior outside hitter Janet Snell, who notched a double-double with 16 kills and 15 digs.  The 16 kills was a match-high.  Freshman Danica Vukotic also posted a double-double with 15 kills and 12 digs while sophomore Camilla Tinari just missed a double-double posting 14 kills and nine digs.

Setter Barbara Perru posted a career-high 49 assists and added 11 digs registering her first collegiate double-double.

Libero Renata Pandolfo dug-up a match-high 44 digs for the Highlanders followed by (15) from Snell, (12) Danica Vukotic and (11) from Perru.

Lafayette was led by Danielle Towslee and Karissa Ciliento who each posted 14 kills for the home team.  Ciliento registered a double-double with 14 kills and 17 digs.

Setters Sarah Frohnapfel and Molly Belcher split time at the setting position piling up 23 and 14 assists respectively.  Frohnapfel posted a double-double with 23 assists and 12 digs.

Five Leopards posted double-figure dig totals led by Michelle Woodworth's 19 followed by Kaitlynn Zoller (18), Ciliento (17), Lauren Pisauro (13) and Frohanpfel (12).

Katy Rooney recorded a match-high seven total blocks as the home team held a 12-to-6 team blocks advantage.

After splitting at six points apiece early in the first set, the Highlanders settled into a groove, going on an 11-4 run to push their lead to 17-10. Lafayette was able to claw back, tying it at 22-22 on an NJIT attack error but two Leopard attack errors and a service error, gave the set to the Highlanders, 25-22.
 
The second set was even for the most part as a kill from freshman Brianne Giangiobbe tied the score at 14-14 midway through.  Lafayette finished the set hitting .237 with 17 kills to NJIT's seven for a 25-21 victory in the second set.

Lafayette never seemed to get close enough in the third after a 9-9. The Highlanders kept a three or four point cushion throughout the latter half of the set, finishing the Leopards off in the end, 25-19.

Unlike the third, Lafayette controlled the fourth from the beginning. After the Highlanders pulled within one at 10-9, the Leopards ripped off an 11-4 run of their own to push the lead to 21-13. Two Ciliento kills, a Frohnapfel service ace and an attack error by the Highlanders sent the match to a fifth, 25-14.

NJIT will return to Great West Conference action Saturday at 1pm when the Highlanders host Chicago State at the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.

Play by Play courtesy Lafayette Media Relations