NEWARK, N.J. – Junior outside hitter
Erika Sullivan double-doubled for the second straight outing but the Fairleigh Dickinson volleyball team fell in four sets to NJIT (25-15, 16-25, 25-19, 25-22) at the NJIT Wellness and Recreation Center on Tuesday night.
Sullivan finished with 10 kills and 13 digs in the match resulting in her team-leading fifth double-double of the season, while freshman
Kati Quaintance amassed nine blocks in the loss.
Quaintance's nine total blocks are the most by a Knight in a match this season. In addition to Quaintance's individual total, the Knights' 13 team blocks also equate to a season-high.
Other notable performances from the Knights (2-13) came from sophomore
Magdalena Maksimovic, who recorded nine kills and freshman
Brooke Stevens, who logged eight kills and four blocks.
Madi Busler's 12 kills topped the scoresheet for the Highlanders (2-14) in the win. Busler was joined in double figures by Marina Markaki (11 kills) and Iva Mandic (10 kills).
The Highlanders scored the first five points of the match and built a 19-9 cushion before taking a 1-0 match lead.
A pair of kills by Maksimovic sparked a 7-2 start in the second set for the Knights. Later in the game, Maksimovic teamed up with Quaintance on a block to give the Knights their first double-digit lead of the match, 15-5, and they would not let up as they evened the score at 1-1.
Trailing by two in the third frame, the Knights saw the Highlanders establish control by scoring five straight aided by back-to-back kills from Markaki. The home team kept its foot on the gas and closed out the set to take a 2-1 edge.
The fourth and final set of the contest was the most competitive and the Knights erased a 4-0 deficit to pull aside at 6-6.
The teams would trade leads throughout the set before consecutive kills from Maksimovic and Sullivan provided the Knights with a 21-19 advantage. NJIT countered by scoring six of the final seven points – including four straight – to finalize the victory.
The Knights return to Northeast Conference play for their next match as they welcome Sacred Heart to the Rothman Center this Friday, September 28. First serve is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
