Box Score

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson women's volleyball team won a thrilling five-set match over in-state rival NJIT, 3-2, Wednesday night at Stratis Arena. With the victory, the Knights improve to 1-12 on the season, while the Highlanders fall to 2-7 overall.

FDU won the first and second sets by the identical score of 25-20, before dropping sets three and four, 26-24 and 25-18. But the Knights rallied in the final set and won 15-12.

With the score tied 6-6 in the opening set, FDU took the lead with three straight points, as a kill by freshman Caroline Laton (Kinnelon, N.J./Kinnelon) gave the Knights the lead for good with a kill to start the mini run. NJIT was able to cut the deficit to 15-14, but a kill by senior Violeta Slabakova (Shelby Township, Mich./Utica) gave FDU some breathing room to stretch its lead back out 19-15.

The Highlanders came back to within two at 20-18, but the Knights were able to regain control to take the first set, 25-20.

In the second set the score was 8-8 early on. However, FDU was able to go on a 7-1 run to take a 16-9 advantage. NJIT fought back to cut the Knights' lead to 17-14, but it was the closest the visitors would come, as FDU took the second set, 25-20.

The visitors took control of the third set and took a commanding 22-12 lead before the Knights made a valiant comeback. A Laton kill triggered nine unanswred points from FDU with senior Taylor Roland-Buhol serving over the next eight points. Freshman Courtney Kovensy's kill made the score 22-21.

With set point on the horizion, the Knights took advantge of two attack errors to tie the set at 24. But back-to-back kills by the Highlanders' Julia Colombo gave NJIT a 26-24 set-three victory.

The fourth set saw the Highlanders take the lead for good after the score tied 2-2. FDU battled back to 14-12, but it was the closest it would get, with NJIT cruising to the 25-18 win to force a deciding fifth set.

The final set, which is played to 15, saw the Knights jump out to a 5-2 lead until the Highlanders rebounded for a 9-6 advantage followed by an 11-8 lead. FDU then scored the next four points, with three coming via Slabakova kills, to retake the lead, 12-11.

After NJIT tied the final set at 12-12, the Knights score the final three points on an attack error, a Slabakova kill and sophomore Allison Butler (Plano, Texas/Plano)'s kill to take the set, 15-12, and claim their first victory of the season.

Butler led the offense with 47 assists and recorded a double-double by registering 17 digs on defense. Also on the offensive side of the net, Slabavoka pace FDU with 18 kills and also picked up a double-double with 13 digs. Kovensky added 12 kills of her own.

Defensively, five Knights recorded double-digit digs: sophomore Corey Lostetter (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) (19), Butler (17), Roland-Buohl (15), Slabakova (13) and junior Deborah Hong (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) (11). Sophomore Maddie Gibbons (Columbus, Ohio/Grandview Heights), junior Hanifa Addi (Springdale, Md./Charles H. Flowers) and Laton controlled the net with five, four and four block-assists each.

FDU will have 10 days off before returning to action Saturday, Sept. 28 in a home match against Robert Morris at 1 p.m. to begin Northeast Conference action.