Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY—NJIT's Janet Snell and Fran Edmondson combined for 38 of NJIT's 52 kills but it wasn't enough as Hartford defeated the Highlanders, 3-1, in the final day of the Marist's Volley in the Valley Tournament at the McCann Arena.

The Highlanders fall to 2-5 on the young season while Hartford improves to 3-4. 

Snell, the Highlanders senior outside hitter, posted a season-high 20 kills and added 11 digs recording her fourth double-double of the season.  Snell hit .348 for the match on 46 swings and just four errors for the Highlanders.

Edmondson, a freshman right side hitter from Christchurch, New Zealand, registered a career-high with 18 kills, with four errors on 52 attempts for a .269 hitting percentage.  The freshman also added six digs and four block assists.

Setter Barbara Perru tallied her first collegiate double-double piling up 41 assists and 13 digs for the Highlanders.  Junior Renata Pandolfo posted a match-high 26 digs while Perru added 13 and Snell 11.  Pandolfo has now notched double-figure dig totals in every match but one with a season-high 30 digs at Iona.

Freshman Nina Vukotic led the match with five block assists followed by Edmondson's four block assists.  Vukotic added nine digs and two service aces for the Highlanders.

Hartford had three players reach double-figure kill totals Sunday led by Sareeta Nethersole's (19), Kami Nethersole (18) and Dionna Kirton (12).
Setter Jackie Tamburri recorded a double-double with a match-high 51 assists to go along with 14 digs and five service aces.  Hartford held an 8-4 advantage in aces.

Defensively, Kirton led Hartford with 19 digs followed by Tamburri (14), Sareeta Nethersole (13), Kami Nethersole (12) and Saara Carissimi (11).  Sareeta Nethersole added four block assists in the match.

The lone set won by the Highlanders came in the second frame with a 28-26 victory.  NJIT jumped out to a 6-3 lead after back-to-back attack errors by Hartford.  The Red Hawks answered by scoring the next five points to take an 8-6 lead, resulting in an NJIT timeout.

The set then saw eight ties, up until the mid-teens at 15-15.  The Red Hawks would then score the next three points for an 18-15 advantage.  The Highlanders pulled back to within one, 19-18, after an attack error by Hartford.

After a kill by NJIT's Cathy Leung, the frame was knotted at 24.  The Highlanders scored the next point on a Red Hawk attack error but Hartford scored the next two points on back-to-back kills by Kami Nethersole, for a 26-25 lead, forcing NJIT head coach JR Martins to take another timeout.

Out of the time out, the Highlanders scored the next three points – a kill from Edmondson, attack error from the visitors while the final point of the set coming on a kill by Leung.

The Highlanders will return to action next weekend at the Fordham Tournament.  NJIT faces Stony Brook on Friday and Cornell and host Fordham on Saturday.

All-Tournament Team
NJIT - Renata Pandolfo (77 digs in three matches (5.92 dps)
Hartford - Sareeta Nethersole
Fordham - Brianna O'Neil, Lisa Hipp
Marist - Katie Estes, Grace Hill, Hanna Stoiberg (MVP)