VIDEO: NJIT Highlights

NEW BRITAIN, CT - Freshman Sara Siefert put together the best match of her young career as the NJIT women's volleyball team rolled to its second-straight win, defeating host Central Connecticut St. in three sets on Tuesday evening in non-conference action. 

The Highlanders won the first set 25-23, before taking the second and third 25-19 and 25-21, respectively, to improve to 2-2 this season. NJIT avenged a three-set loss to the Blue Devils (0-4) last season.

Siefert, playing in just her third collegiate match, set the tone early, sending home seven kills in the first set as the Highlanders held off CCSU to go ahead 1-0.
NJIT dominated the second set, as it scored the first four points of the frame and led by at least three throughout until graduate student Adriana Goetz-Morales sent home a kill to clinch the set and give the Highlanders a 2-0 lead. 

The Highlanders scored six of the first seven points in the third set, but CCSU was able to battle back and tie it at 10 before eventually taking a lead. Neither team led by more than one until NJIT snapped a 15-15 tie with three straight points before taking the set 25-21 to earn a second-straight three-set win. The third set, and the match for that matter, was highlighted by a point-saving diving dig from Kaitlyn Arias that was recieved by Juliana Impaglia and passed to Goetz-Morales for a cross-court kill.
Siefert's 16 kills came against just two errors on 30 attacks for an impressive .467 hitting percentage. Goetz-Morales (11 kills, .429%) and Ines Varela (six kills, .417% also had efficient offensive matches. 

As a team, NJIT hit .303, thanks in part to the setting of Impaglia (19 assists) and Maddie Dennis (12 assists). Doga Emil finished with a team-high 10 digs and seven assists from her libero position. 

The Highlanders will look to make it three in a row on Thursday when they travel to South Orange for the first of three matches at the Seton Hall Classic. First serve is 5pm for the two Essex County squads.