WORCESTER, Mass. – The Holy Cross volleyball team concluded nonconference action with a 3-0 loss to NJIT on Saturday afternoon in Coach George Blaney '61 Gymnasium.

Holy Cross finishes their nonleague slate at 3-6 while the Highlanders move to 5-4 on the young season.

Junior Abbie Lane finished the match with a contest-best 11 kills. In the third set, Lane tallied her 500th career kill. She had 504 kills and 487 digs during her time as a Crusader.

Kill #?5?0?0? for @PeytenAbigail!

?? https://t.co/V4s8stxsJd@ESPN | @PatriotLeagueTV| #GoCrossGo pic.twitter.com/F6iH95QoEj
— Holy Cross Volleyball (@HCrossVB) September 9, 2023
 

SET SCORES:

• Highlanders 3, Crusaders 0 (17-25, 16-25, 24-26)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Junior Sarah Stokes skipped a set and converted a kill to make the score 5-3 the guests in the early stages. A Holy Cross ball handling error pushed NJIT ahead 11-5. Behind by eight, four straight from the Crusaders including a Stokes and junior Rian Millership block cut the deficit in half at 15-11. With a five point lead, NJIT tallied the final three points to win the set.
• Facing an early 3-2 deficit, NJIT used a 7-1 run to hold a 9-4 edge. Freshman Haley Gill placed an ace to put the Crusaders down 9-7. Lane and Millership combined for a block at the pin to drop the margin to one 13-12. Trailing 14-13, NJIT produced nine straight points to lead 23-13 before taking a 2-0 match lead.
• A 7-2 Crusader stretch in the third set capped off by a junior Lauren Halverson kill on the right side put them ahead early. Halverson then added an ace for the 10-3 Crusader advantage. The Highlanders chipped into the margin thanks to a 14-6 outburst to jump ahead at 17-16. Two points away from match point a sophomore Rachel Johnson kill with two errors and a Russell ace leveled the score 23-23. On the verge of taking the match, senior Sanaea Simmons and Lane blocked an attack attempt to keep it tied at 24-24. NJIT notched the final two points for the victory.

INSIDE THE BOX:

• Russell recorded a double-double (15 assists, 11 digs) for the first time in her collegiate career. Her 11 digs were also a career-high.
• Gill has double-digit digs for the fifth time over the last six games and six times in nine contests.

UP NEXT:

• The Crusaders open Patriot League play on Friday, Sept. 15 at Lafayette.
• First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.

 
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