Pirates Sweep NJIT 3-0 to Win Second Straight in Seton Hall Classic

Published: Sunday, September 8, 2024

by CJ Weipz

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ – The Seton Hall volleyball team defeated NJIT in straight sets yesterday afternoon with a little help from some of their fellow Pirate athletes. Members of the Pirates’ soccer, basketball, cross country, and softball teams joined in cheering on Shannon Thompson’s squad as they continue to remain undefeated in the friendly confines of Walsh Gymnasium. 

With numerous starters out with injuries, Seton Hall relied on a variety of veterans to get the job done. Seniors Jenna Walsh and San Deigo State transfer Reagan Merk both finished with nine kills each, with Walsh adding 14 assists and 10 digs, and Merk tallying 13 digs of her own.  

The first set was dominated by a stout Seton Hall defense. A block by Merk opened the scoring and the Pirates never looked back. The Pirates held the Highlanders to a –0.074 attack percentage, forcing six attacking errors in the process. Walsh had a massive first set, notching her first three kills of the afternoon, surpassing her total from Friday’s game vs. Sacred Heart. Asli Subasili provided a massive spark to the Pirates’ offense after back-to-back service aces forced a timeout from the visiting Highlanders. The Pirates then went on a 10-2 run to widen the gap before taking the set 25-12. 

Set 2 was where the Highlanders started to settle in. NJIT jumped out to a 3-0 lead following a service ace from Finely McAndrew, before Seton Hall started to chip away. Another long run for the Pirates found them up 9-5 early in the set. Gwen Adler, the Florida Atlantic Invitational All-Tournament team member, found Jenna Walsh for a pair of kills, notching two of her 12 assists for the afternoon. NJIT wouldn’t go away easily, however, as they rattled off a 4-0 streak of their own to keep the game tied at 14. The set remained up in the air until the final stretch, as The Hall took control and scored seven of the last eight points. They capped off the set with back-to-back service aces from Jenna Walsh, and won 25-18.  

But the final set was what gave the Pirates the biggest scare of the afternoon. Set 3 featured 12 tied scores and four lead changes, off the back of the Pirates’ worst offensive set of the game. Seven attacking errors and a 0.158 attacking percentage gave the Highlanders just enough room to creep up behind the Pirates in this set. Regardless, Merk and Grace Turner stayed hot, as they combined for seven of the team’s 13 kills in the final frame. The Pirates avoided a win-by-2 scenario after a Doga Emil service error from NJIT sealed the deal with a final score of 25-23. 

The Pirates will take on Kent State today in the final game of the Seton Hall Classic at 11 a.m. 

CJ Weipz is an Assistant Sports Director at WSOU

CJ can be reached at christopher.weipz@student.shu.edu

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