Wildcats earn 3-1 season-opening win vs. NJIT

Saturday, February 27

Albany, N.Y.

6 PM

University of New Hampshire

1-0,1-0America East

NJIT

0-3,0-2America East

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
New Hampshire	25	20	25	25	3
NJIT	14	25	17	13	1

2/27/2021 8:23:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Gabby Smith notches 15 kills in her collegiate debut for the Wildcats

ALBANY, N.Y. – Freshman outside hitter Gabby Smith (Carmel, Ind.) notched 15 kills in her collegiate debut to lead the University of New Hampshire volleyball team to a 3-1 season-opening victory against NJIT at University Gym on the campus of UAlbany on Saturday night. The set scores were 25-14, 20-25, 25-17 and 25-13.

Smith hit at a .355 clip for the match, while adding three digs and two blocks.

Junior Abby Sullivan (Methuen, Mass.) added 10 kills for the Wildcats, while hitting .333 and adding five blocks in the win for UNH. Sullivan registered the set clinching kill in the first frame and had another kill at match point in the fourth frame to seal the win for the Wildcats. Sophomore right side Hannah Crist (Cicero, Ind.) chipped in with nine kills, a .240 hitting percentage and four blocks.

"Tonight's win was a reward for many reasons, first and foremost, our program recognizes the hard work that has been put into allowing fall sports to compete during the spring semester," said UNH Head Coach Christopher Feliciano." "It's important that our efforts are worthy of the commitment from the administration to student-athlete experience."

"Second, our team stepped up with many of them playing out of position," mentioned Feliciano. "They picked up their teammates who were on pause this week due COVID protocols. When asked to play out of position, they were willing to put each other first. It was a great team win."

Senior co-captain Emma Patlovich (Lake Forest, Ill.) amassed 35 assists, six kills, a .462 hitting percentage and 14 digs running the Wildcats' offense.

Freshman Jamison White (Nashville, Tenn.) also had a solid collegiate debut for the Wildcats with five kills, 14 digs and a match-high four aces. Sophomore outside hitter Erin Hedrick (Montvale, N.J.) also chipped in with five kills, four digs and two blocks.

On the defensive side, freshmen Mia Pagliarini (Springboro, Ohio) and Grace Tomann (Cold Spring, N.Y.) tallied 18 and 16 digs, respectively for the 'Cats.

The Wildcats totaled 50 kills in the match, including 14 kills in the opening frame with a match-high .351 hitting percentage.

Elley Torres lead NJIT with 13 kills, while Kaitlyn Arias posted a match-high 24 digs in the losing effort for the Highlanders.

UNH returns to action on Sunday, February 28 against UAlbany for a 1 p.m. match from University Gym.

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INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

UNH had the edge in service aces, 10-2.
The Wildcats finished the match strong with 13 kills and a .233 hitting percentage in set four.

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