The win improves Manhattan's record to 4-19 overall this season, while they remain 2-8 in the MAAC. NJIT falls to 4-19 on the year.
Highlights:
- The Jaspers dropped the first set 18-25, before rebounding to win the next two (25-23 and 25-22). NJIT went on to take the fourth 25-21, forcing the decisive set.
- NJIT went up 7-4 on .250 hitting to start the final set. The Jaspers responded by scoring four straight to take the lead. before the Highlanders tied it up at eight all.
- A kill by senior Kenza Hall (Oakland, CA / Middle Tennessee State) tied the set at 13, followed by an attack error that gave Manhattan a crucial one-point lead. After NJIT tied it one last time, another attack error on the Highlanders put the Jaspers within one point of securing the match.
- Hoener earned the final kill of the match to cement a 16-14 fifth-set win for the Jaspers. Her attack percentage of .517 was the highest for a Manhattan player so far this season, and her six blocks tie teammate Hall for the most by a Jasper this year.
- Freshman setter Shruti Mangipudi (San Ramon, CA / Dougherty Valley) improved on her career-high in assists Wednesday night, hitting 47 against the Highlanders. Her previous high, earned in a four-set win against Quinnipiac on October 13, was 41. Mangipudi added 13 digs on the night, earning herself a double-double performance.
- Manhattan's 56 combined kills is the most by the Jaspers this season, while the team's combined attack percentage of .257 was the Jaspers' third-best performance of the year. Freshman Vivian Donovan (Newport Beach, CA / Newport Harbor) aided Hoener's efforts by adding 15 kills against the Highlanders. She picked up a double-double as well in the match, earning 16 digs.
- Manhattan earned 10 blocks as a team, also the Jaspers' best performance of the season.
- Senior Sandra Lozanova (Pernik, Bulgaria / Fresno State) continued her streak of multi-ace matches, earning three service aces against NJIT. She's totaled 10 in the past three matches. Lozanova also added 10 kills against NJIT, the third Jasper to reach double-digit kills in the match.
- Senior Alyssa Rehrer (Lorton, VA / South County) earned a match-high 22 digs, just four off of her season high of 26.
Manhattan returns to conference play against Iona on Saturday, October 20 at 5:00 pm in New Rochelle, NY.