NEWARK, NJ—Visiting Kennesaw State was led by Sydni Shelton's match-high 20 kills as the Owls defeated NJIT, 3-1, in ASUN Conference women's volleyball action on Friday evening at the Fleisher Athletic Center.

Kennesaw State, which held the fourth longest win streak in the nation, winning 12 straight prior to dropping a 3-0 against Lipscomb last Friday, returned back to the win column, taking the Highlanders, 25-17, 25-20, 25-27, 25-18, improving to 8-1 in the ASUN and 14-9 overall.

NJIT, which recorded its first win in the ASUN Conference against USC Upstate last Saturday, has dropped its last two matches, falling to 1-8 in the ASUN and 9-18 on the season.

In addition to Shelton's match-best 20 kills, junior outside hitter Anaiah Boyer, who ranks third in the ASUN in kills per set, recorded a double-double with 10 kills and 14 digs for the Owls. 

Setter Kristi Piedimonte posted a double-double of her own with a match-high 48 assists to go along with 10 digs.

Defensively, libero Katarina Morton led the Owls with 18 kills followed by Boyer (14) and Piedimonte (10).  Madeline Johnson paced the visitors with three block assists.

Kennesaw State held an 11-3 service ace advantage, led by a match-best seven aces by Maddie Jones.  Jones also added seven digs.

NJIT had three players reach double-figure kills led by senior outside hitter Katarzyna Klocek with 16 followed by Tess Albyn (12) and Weronika Wiezik (11). 

Middle Mikalah Hughes combined for a .500 hitting percentage (6k, 0e, 12a) to along with four block assists, a match-high.

Freshman setter Liz Benson filled out the box score, notching 48 assists, seven digs and three block assists for the Highlanders while sophomore libero Adriana Nieto led the match with 19 digs.  Freshman defensive specialist Olivia Welsch and Klocek added nine digs apiece.

Kennesaw State, which hit .458 in the first frame, jumped out to a 16-6 advantage and never looked back, cruising to a 25-17 victory.  Shelton led the Owls with five kills.

The second set, which saw nine ties and six lead changes, was played tight through the mid-teens.  With the frame knotted at 15, the Highlanders went on a 4-1 spurt, pulling ahead of the Owls, 18-16, resulting in a Kennesaw State timeout.  The visitors used a 9-2 run and held on for a 25-20 victory.  Shelton was the leader with five kills in the set.

NJIT hit a match-best .366 in the third frame, paced by Klocek's eight kills.  Another set, which was played closely, saw eight ties and two lead changes, with the final tie at 25 after a kill by Kennesaw State.  The Highlanders responded with back-to-back kills by Hughes and Wiezik and went on to win, 27-25.

In the final set, Kennesaw State took control with a 15-9 advantage.  The Highlanders pulled within three, 15-18, but that's the closest the Highlanders would come, as the visiting Owls clinched the match with a 25-18 victory.

NJIT will return to action on Sunday when the Highlanders host Lipscomb at 1pm in the Fleisher Athletic Center.