NEWARK, NJ – The NJIT women's volleyball team kicks off America East play this weekend with a pair of matchups. The Highlanders head to Smithfield, R.I. on Friday night to take on Bryant before returning home to take on UMBC on Sunday afternoon.

Weekend Schedule
Friday – at Bryant, 7 p.m. (WATCH | LIVE STATS)
Sunday – vs. UMBC, 3 pm (WATCH | LIVE STATS)

Last Time Out
The Highlanders snapped a four-match losing streak on Tuesday night with a three sets win over Manhattan on the road. Ema Torres was dynamite for NJIT, notching nine kills on just 14 attacks for a .643 hitting percentage. Ines Varela had a great all-around performance with eight kills, five digs, four service aces and four total blocks. Mariana Cova also chipped in on the attack with eight digs paired with her seven digs.

Scouting Bryant
Bryant enters the weekend with a league-best 12-4 overall record to begin the campaign. The Bulldogs' defense has been on point thus far in 2024, ranking atop the America East in opponent hitting percentage (.175) and opponent kills (10.72 per set). Bryant enters the contest after dropping two of its last three matches.

Scouting UMBC
The Retrievers are the four-time defending America East champions and were selected to win the league once again by the conference's coaches prior to the season. UMBC has played a difficult non-conference schedule, highlighted by matches against No. 1 Pittsburgh, No. 8 Purdue, No. 22 Dayton and (RV) Kansas State.

News & Notes

• Doga Emil was named the America East Defensive Specialist of the Week on Sept. 16 after averaging a league-best 6.1 digs per set. Emil surpassed 20 digs in a pair of three set matches over the Highlanders' 2-2 week.
• Ema Torres was named America East Rookie of the Week back on Sept. 16. The Gondomar, Portugal native averaged 2.9 kills per set, 1.2 digs per set and hit .333 across the week.
• Sara Siefert collected her third career double-double on Sept. 3 against Saint Peter's, finishing with a career-high 12 digs and finishing one off a career-best with 15 kills.
• The NJIT freshmen have had strong starts to the 2024 campaign. Freshmen Ema Torres and Aries Fontaine rank first and third, respectively, on the team in kills per set. Torres also ranks 10^th in the America East with her 2.39 kills per set.
• In the assists department, freshmen Finley McAndrew and Cece Marino have been the driving forces, ranking in the top two in that category on the team.
• Siefert enters the weekend ranked sixth in the America East in service aces per set (0.38).
• The Highlanders have two of the top six in blocks per set in the America East so far this season. Ines Varela currently sits fifth (1.03) while Taylor West ranks sixth (0.92).
• Doga Emil enters the weekend ranked fifth in the conference in digs per set (3.44).

Who's Back?
Trevino welcomes back 11 student-athletes from last year's team which picked up nine wins on the season. The seniors feature team captains Varela and Walker, as well as Cami Augustine. Four juniors will take the floor for the Highlanders in 2024 in Mariana Cova, Maddie Dennis, Doga Emil and Taylor West. The sophomore returnees consist of Ashlynn Berns, Olivia Grall, Rowan Schreiber and Sara Siefert.

Who's New?
Six newcomers join NJIT's roster for the 2024 campaign, consisting of four freshmen, one sophomore and one graduate transfer. Aries Fontaine, Cece Marino, Finley McAndrew and Ema Torres make up the freshman class. Patricia Rakova joins the team as a sophomore, while Arkansas State tranfser Ilayda Dincer comes to Newark for her graduate year.

Follow the Highlanders
Keep up with the NJIT women's volleyball team all season long by following on X/Twitter and Instagram (@NJITWVB).