NEWARK, NJ—Senior Tess Albyn registered a career-best 23 kills in the Highlanders thrilling 3-2 victory over visiting Stetson Sunday afternoon in ASUN Conference women’s volleyball action. 
 
On Senior Day, NJIT closed its 2017 home campaign and final match in the Fleisher Athletic Center with a 3-2 win over Stetson, 12-25, 25-23, 16-25, 26-24 and 15-10.  
 
With the new state-of-the-art Wellness and Events Center set to open next week, the 3-2 home finale on Senior Day seemed like a perfect way for the women’s volleyball team to bid adieu to the Fleisher Athletic Center. 
 
NJIT moves to 2-10 in the ASUN, 12-17 overall, surpassing last year’s win-output while Stetson falls to 2-10 in the ASUN, 3-21 overall with two matches remaining on the season for both squads. 
 
In the fifth and deciding set, NJIT took control early, scoring the first five points of the set.  Stetson scored five consecutive to knot the set at 5-5 and went ahead, 6-5, on an NJIT error. 
 
Both teams traded points and after a 10-10 tie, the Highlanders closed out the set on a 5-0 surge, securing the 15-10 win on a kill by Alyssa Armada. 
 
In addition to Albyn’s career-best 23 kills, Iva Mandic and Armada combined for 11 and 10 kills respectively.  Hughes added eight kills. 
 
Sophomore setter Liz Benson piled up 45 assists and added eight digs and three block assists while junior libero Adriana Nieto led the Highlanders with 18 digs followed by Olivia Welsch with 13.  Armada just missed notching a double-double, adding nine digs. 
 
Hughes led the Highlanders in front of the net with seven total blocks (one solo, six assists). 
 
NJIT edged Stetson in the service ace category, paced by Armada and Nieto with four aces apiece. 
 
Stetson’s Anna Bezhan registered a career-high 18 kills and added 12 digs for her second straight double-double.  
 
Hao Jin recorded 15 kills and hit .433 for the match, combining for nine blocks while Charlotte Earnhart tallied 14 kills and a career-high 17 digs for her first career double-double. 
 
Setter Naina Ivanova tallied a career-high 51 assists while adding 16 digs and five blocks. 
 
Defensively, Stetson combined for 82 digs as opposed to NJIT’s 66, led by Chelcie Spence, who notched a career-high 26 digs. 
 
In pregame ceremonies, NJIT honored its four graduating seniors, Albyn, Alyssa Armada, Adrianne Bynoe and Mikalah Hughes. 
 
NJIT will close out the 2017 season at Jacksonville on Friday at 7pm and North Florida on Saturday at 5pm.