BROOKLYN, NY—Host LIU Brooklyn swept visiting NJIT, 3-0, to conclude the 2016 Dazzler Hotels Blackbird Invitational at Steinberg Center Sunday evening.

The two teams met on the opening day of the Dazzler Hotels Blackbird Invitational, with LIU Brooklyn coming out on top, 3-1.

The Blackbirds won in straight sets Sunday, 25-13, 25-18, 25-20 for its second win of the season while the Highlanders drop to 4-7 on the young season.

NJIT's Adriana Nieto and Anna Rodrigues were named to the all-tournament team. 

Nieto combined for 40 digs (4.0dps) while Rodrigues combined for 60 assists (6.10aps) and 18 digs (1.80dps).  Nieto notched double-digit digs in two-out-of-three matches while Rodrigues nearly missed notching her first double-double of her career against Denver and LIU Brooklyn on Sunday.  The newcomer from Sao Paulo, Brazil posted double-figure assists in all three matches, with a career-best 22 kills against LIU Brooklyn.

LIU Brooklyn was paced by Alex Larsen's match-best 12 kills followed by Alex Lilliquist with 10.  Larsen finished the match with a .417 hitting percentage while Lilliquist added a .346 percentage for the home team.

Setter Amanda Hubbard piled up a match-best 26 assists to go along with seven digs and three block assists. 

Defensively, Lilliquist paced LIU Brooklyn with nine digs while three different Blackbirds – Emily Magee, Larsen and Hubbard each notched seven digs.  In front of the net, Katharina Krepper, Hubbard and Sonja Vukosavljevic each notched three block assists.

LIU Brooklyn held a 9-to-2 service ace advantage, led by a match-high five aces from Lilliquist. Larsen added three aces.

NJIT was led by Weronika Wiezik's team-high eight kills.  Rodrigues was one dig shy, posting a double-double with 22 assists and nine digs for the Highlanders.

Sophomore libero Adriana Nieto was the match-leader with 16 digs followed by Rodrigues with nine.

The first set started out close with either team leading by two, until LIU Brooklyn used a 5-1 spurt to take a 14-8 lead, resulting in an NJIT timeout.  Out of the timeout, NJIT's Anneka Harris put down a kill but the Blackbirds followed with another 5-1 run, taking a 19-10 advantage.  The visitors took its second timeout of the set and answered with two consecutive points but the home team finished off the frame with its third 5-1 run of the set, taking a 25-13 victory.

The Highlanders scored the first point of the second set and jumped ahead 5-1.  The Blackbirds inched their way back into the set, scoring five straight points, slimming the Highlander lead to one, 8-9. 

NJIT increased its lead to 15-12 but LIU Brooklyn, fighting back, would rally to tie the set at 16 and take its first lead of the set with seven unanswered points for a 23-16 lead and went in to win 25-18.

The third set, the tightest of the three, saw16 ties, the final at 19, after a kill by NJIT's Katarzyna Klocek.  LIU Brooklyn scored four unanswered points for a 23-19 lead, resulting in a Highlander timeout.  A block assist by Anneka Harris and Tess Albyn pulled NJIT within three, 20-23, but the Blackbirds scored the final two points of the set for a 25-20 victory, sweeping the Highlanders, 3-0.

NJIT will host its home opener on Tuesday, September 13 when the Highlanders host Saint Peter's at 7pm in the Fleisher Athletic Center.  The date marks National Fortune Cookie Day.  The first 100 fans receive an NJIT Fortune Cookie with a special fortune inside.