NEWARK, NJ—Visiting USC Upstate hit .228 for the match as the Spartans swept NJIT, 3-0, in Atlantic Sun Conference action Sunday afternoon at Essex County College Gymnasium.

USC Upstate (1-6 A-Sun, 13-10 overall) picked up its first Atlantic Sun Conference victory taking the Highlanders in straight sets, 25-16, 26-24 and 25-18.

Junior middle blocker Emily Koelling hit an impressive .400 for the match combining for a team-high 11 kills on 20 swings with three errors for the visiting Spartans.  Sophomore right side hitter Rebecca Shearer posted 9 kills while Kayla Eversgerd and Callie Yeargin added 8 and 7 kills, respectively.

USC Upstate setter Madison Haake and NJIT's Emily Krachenfels each registered 28 assists in the match.  Defensively, Eversgerd led the Spartans in the digs category with 15, followed by Haake (11) and Kaleigh Kelly (10).

The visiting Spartans held a 7-to-3 team-blocking advantage, led by Yeargin and Brianna Tellschow with 4 block assists apiece.  Emily Koelling added 3 block assists.

NJIT (1-6 A-Sun, 6-17 overall) was led by senior outside hitter Danica Vukotic with a match-best 17 kills.  Freshman libero Adriana Nieto led the match with 23 digs, followed by Nina Vukotic, who combined for 13.

Sophomore Alyssa Armada notched two service aces for the Highlanders, who edged the Spartans, 5-4, in that category.  Sophomore middle Tess Albyn paced the Highlanders in front of the net with 2 block assists.

In the first set, USC Upstate jumped out to a 6-1 lead and later extended its lead to 18-8.  The Highlanders went on a 5-1 spurt, slimming the Spartan lead to six, 13-19.  USC Upstate finished off the set on a 6-3 run, taking the first set, 25-16.  NJIT's Danica Vukotic led the set with 4 kills.

The second set remained close through the teens and early 20's.  With the Highlanders leading 23-20, USC Upstate scored back-to-back points, resulting in an NJIT timeout.  Out of the timeout, NJIT's Danica Vukotic put down a kill to give the home team a 24-22 advantage.  USC Upstate scored the final four points of the set for a 26-24 victory.  NJIT's Danica Vukotic notched 7 kills in the set.

USC Upstate took control of the final set early, 14-8 and later extended to 20-13 while cruising to a 25-18 victory. 

The Highlanders will be off for a week before returning to action next Saturday in Nashville, TN, against Lipscomb in another Atlantic Sun Conference match. That match is scheduled for a 1 pm start.