SPARTANBURG, SC—NJIT senior Tess Albyn recorded a match-best 20 kills but it wasn't enough as USC Upstate topped the visiting Highlanders, 3-1, Saturday afternoon in ASUN Conference women's volleyball action.

The Spartans won the first two sets by identical scores, 25-19 as the Highlanders forced a fourth set with a 25-21 victory in the third frame.  USC Upstate closed out the match with a 25-18 victory in the fourth set.

USC Upstate sweeps the regular season series from the visiting Highlanders, improving to 3-5 in the ASUN, 7-15 overall while the Highlanders fall to 1-7 in the ASUN, 10-14 overall.

In addition to Albyn's 20-kills, NJIT's Iva Mandic recorded nine kills followed by Madi Busler and Mikalah Hughes with nine each.  Busler was one-kill shy notching a double-double as she combined for 11 digs.

Sophomore setter Liz Benson piled up a match-best 52 assists while junior libero Adrianna Nieto notched a match-high 22 digs.  Alahna Diaz posted nine digs and a match-best four service aces.

USC Upstate was led by Lily Dempsey with 12 kills while Montana Swanson recorded a double-double with 11 kills and 15 digs.

Setter Madison Haake just missed posting a double-double of her own, registering 35 assists and nine digs.

Defensively, the Spartans were led by Payton Duncan with 15 digs followed by Swanson (15) and Kaleigh Kelley (11).  Dempsey combined for six total blocks (1 solo, 5 assists) while Brianna Tellschow and McKenna Kirkpatrick combined for four blocks.

NJIT will return to action on Tuesday at 7pm, hosting Saint Peter's in a non-conference match-up in the Fleisher Athletic Center.