Lehigh cruises to a straight set victory over NJIT

Saturday, October 19

4:00 PM

Lehigh University

15-6, 6-3PL

NJIT

7-11

Team	1	2	3	Final F
NJIT	9	13	21	0
Lehigh	25	25	25	3

Lehigh cruises to a straight set victory over NJIT

10/19/2013 6:38:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh volleyball team cruised to a 3-0 (25-9, 25-13, 25-21) victory over NJIT inside Leeman-Turner Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Mountain Hawks recorded a season-best hitting percentage of .330 while limiting NJIT to just .178.

"After last night's emotional match we talked about how we had to approach this game differently," said head coach Bob Bertucci. "They executed that well and that's why they performed so well today."

The teams exchanged the first few points back and forth, but Lehigh quickly began to pull away in the first set, 9-3. The Mountain Hawks continued on a 5-0 run to take a 13-4 advantage before the Highlanders were able to get a few points back. Lehigh remained in control and sailed to a quick 25-9 set one victory to take a 1-0 match advantage.

Lehigh maintained its momentum in the second set and opened the frame with a 13-6 lead. The Highlanders grabbed a few points back but it wasn't enough as two straight kills from junior Jade Van Streepen eventually put the set away 25-13. The Mountain Hawks hit .414 in the set, which proved to be the best of the match.

The Mountain Hawks led yet again in the early goings of the third set, this time opening up a 13-7 advantage. Three kills from the Highlanders' Danica Vukotic and two from her sister, Nine Vukotic, eventually allowed NJIT to pull close as 23-21. In fitting fashion, NJIT's ninth service error of the match and Lehigh's 11th ace put the set away 25-21 as Lehigh claimed a 3-0 victory.

Van Streepen led the way for the Mountain Hawks with 17 kills and hit a season-high .406. Sophomore Amy Matula notched 26 assists and five sneaky kills. Senior Courtney McCutchan tallied a team-high 10 digs.

The Mountain Hawks remain home next weekend to host Holy Cross and first-place Army. Lehigh battles the Crusaders on Friday at 7 p.m. and the Black Knights on Saturday at 4 p.m.

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