SCORE: UAlbany 3, NJIT 0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-21)
 
LOCATION: Joel & Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center (WEC) - Newark, N.J.
 
RECORD: UAlbany 6-11, 1-3 AE | NJIT 4-17, 0-4 AE
 
SHORT STORY: UAlbany dominated from start to finish with relentless attacks and clutch serves to power past NJIT in a thrilling 3-0 sweep.
 
COACH JOSH PICKARD: "Great work by the team tonight. We were down in all three sets and really turned up the pressure to secure the win. The pressure from our serve helped us set up our defense really well."
 
KEY STATS

• Redshirt-junior Shynelle Woroniuk led the Great Danes with 13 kills. Graduate student Elisavet Papageorgiou and redhsirt-junior Kendall Harris followed closely with 12 kills each.
• Freshman Maria Olga Siapani had her ninth double-double of the season with 34 assists and 12 digs. Siapani also led with three service aces.
• UAlbany had three defenders with double-digit digs in redshirt-sophomore Brooke Malek (17), Siapani (12), and freshman Kiki Provatas (10).
• Sophomore Campbell Robinson and Siapani led the Great Danes with three total blocks each. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• NJIT started the match up by three points but strong kills from outside hitter Shynelle Woroniuk and opposite hitter Kendall Harris gave the Great Danes the lead at 7-5.
• Both teams pushed back and forth through the entire set with multiple lead changes but opposite hitter Elisavet Papageorgiou helped UAlbany maintain control with a critical kill.
• The Great Danes held firm in the final stretch and finishing set one, 25-21.
• Set two started with another three-point advantage for the Highlanders but it didn't take long before the Great Danes tied it at 12.
• Kills from Harris put UAlbany on top at 17-14 and they didn't stop there.
• NJIT tried to close the gap at the end of set two but the Purple and Gold plowed ahead to end the set, 25-22.
• In a familiar fashion, the Highlanders got started and took a three-point lead over UAlbany in set three.
• NJIT gained a six-point advantage at 15-9 before the Great Danes went on an 11-1 scoring run led by three service aces from setter Maria Olga Siapani to take the lead.
• UAlbany secured set three, 25-21, finishing with strong defense and a decisive kill from Woroniuk. This ended the match, 3-0.

NEXT: The Great Danes will head back to Albany, N.Y. for a match down the road against Siena on Wednesday, October 16.
 
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