Box Score NEW BRITAIN, CT—NJIT women's volleyball absorbed a 3-2 loss to Providence on the first day of the CCSU Blue Devil Invitational in CCSU's Detrick Gym.
Providence, 3-9 on the season, held a 2-1 lead after the first three frames, taking the first set 25-16 and the third 25-21 while NJIT (4-9) took the second frame, 25-22. The teams went to extra points in the fourth frame with the Highlanders coming out on top, 26-24, and forcing a fifth and deciding set, with the Friars clinching the match on a 15-12 victory.
In the deciding set, the Highlanders scored the first point of the frame, but the Friars sparked a 9-1 run to take a 9-2 lead. The Highlanders went on a quick 3-0 spurt, cutting the deficit to four, 5-9, on a service ace by senior
Valerie Carroll. Providence increased its lead to five, 18-13, but the Highlanders rallied back on a 3-1 spurt, pulling within three, 11-14, forcing a Friar time out. NJIT scored the next point, but Providence sealed the match with block assists by Abbie Trzeciak and Nicole Fletcher for a 15-12 victory.
The Highlanders were led by junior outside hitter
Danica Vukotic, who returned to the court after missing four matches due to an ankle injury. She notched a double-double with a match-high 18 kills and 14 digs to go along with a team-high three service aces and two block assists. Senior
Fran Edmondson was the other Highlander to reach double-digit kills with 14, while freshman
Tess Albyn combined for 9 and Carroll and
Nina Vukotic added eight each for the Highlanders.
NJIT's freshman setter
Alyssa Armada recorded a new personal-best, piling up a match-high 52 assists and surpassing her old mark of 50 against Fairleigh Dickinson in the Highlanders' 3-2 victory on Wednesday night.
Leading the ighlanders on defensively by
Nina Vukotic, Danica's twin sister, who combined for a team-high 23 digs, followed by libero
Camilla Tinari (22), Armada and
Danica Vukotic (14). NJIT edged the Friars in team blocks, 8-to-7.5, led by Carroll's four block assists and
Nina Vukotic and Edmondson three block assists apiece.
Providence had three players reach double-digit kills, led by Trzeciak with 13, Annie Russian (12) and Kayla Fitzgerald (11). Setter Jordan Wiesler piled up 50 assists, while libero Michelle Cruz dug up a match-high 33 digs, followed by Kelly Ashmore (16) and Wiesler (14).
The Friars led the service ace category paced by a match-high five aces from Cruz and four from Ashmore. In front of the net, Trzeciak and Fletcher registered four block assists apiece.
NJIT will return to action on Saturday wrapping on the Invitational against Hartford at 1:30pm and host CCSU at 6:30pm.
