NEWARK, NJ—The NJIT women's volleyball team defeated visiting Howard, 3-0, in the 2014 home finale for the Highlanders Friday night at the Fleisher Athletic Center.

NJIT won in straight sets 25-22, 28-26 and 25-15, improving to 11-19 overall and 6-3 at home.  Howard, which saw a 9-match winning streak go by the wayside with its defeat at NJIT. dropped to 18-10 on the season. The Bison had won 11 of the last 12 before falling to the Highlanders.

Twin sisters Danica Vukotic and Nina Vukotic led the Highlanders Friday, each notching 9 kills. Nina Vukotic combined for a team-best 9 digs and added 3 service aces, while Danica Vukotic added 6 digs and 3 total blocks (1 solo, 2 assists).

High-flying NJIT freshman Shani Leacock posted 5 kills and a season-best 7 blocks (1 solo, 6 assists), leadimg the Highlanders to a 10-to-4 team block advantage. Freshman setter Alyssa Armada finished with a match-best 26 assists to go along with 5 digs and 3 block assists.

Seniors Valerie Carroll, Camilla Tinari, and Fran Edmondson played in their final home match as a Highlander. Carroll recorded 5 kills and 3 service aces; Tinari posted 3 digs and Edmondson contributed 6 digs, 3 kills, 3 block assists and 2 service aces.

Howard was led by Whitney Fields' team-high 7 kills on 13 swings with just one error for a .462 hitting percentage.  Setter Stephanie Shultis recorded a team-best 20 assists, while Khaila Donaldson notched a match-best 11 digs, followed by Allyson Lods with 10.

Howard opened the first frame, 8-5, but the Highlanders scored the next five points to pull ahead, 10-8.  The score remained close with neither team leading by two.  In the mid-to-late teens, 17-14, Howard scored three consecutive points, knotting the set at 17.  NJIT went on a short 3-1 spurt to pull ahead, 20-18.  Howard cut the deficit to one on four occasions, the final at 22-23, after a kill by Fields.  NJIT closed out the set with a kill by Edmondson and a Bison attack error for the 25-22 victory.

The second frame saw 14 ties and 11 lead changes, the latest at 26, on a kill by NJIT's Danica Vukotic.  The Highlanders followed with the final two points of the set, taking a 28-26 victory.  Danica Vukotic led NJIT in the second set with 7 kills.
 
In the final set, NJIT took control early and never looked back, cruising, 25-15.  NJIT's Carroll scored the final two points on back-to-back service aces to close out the match.

NJIT will return to action on Saturday at 4 pm when the Highlanders travel to Bucknell.