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NJIT Women's Volleyball Wins!!!

September 17, 2004

Courtesy of Mark Mentone NJIT Sports Information

Five Freshman Starters Help Highlanders Snap Record Streak

RUTHERFORD, N.J. ? The New Jersey Institute of Technology women?s volleyball team defeated host Felician College, 3-0 (30-8 30-18 30-20) in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action Thursday night at Job Gym. It was the first victory in the collegiate career of NJIT head coach Pavlina Klimova.

The victory snapped an NCAA Division-II record 93-match losing streak for the Highlanders that dates back to 1999. NJIT (1-3, 1-2) has started at least five freshmen in every match this year.

?I feel great! I?m so happy,? said Klimova, who, in her second season, had to coach 25 matches for her initial win. ?I am glad the waiting finally ended, and I hope I don?t have to wait that long for another one. I feel confident that more will be coming.?

NJIT had 22 services aces on the night. Freshman Angie Casado (Brick, NJ/Brick Township) had match highs of 13 kills and eight digs. Classmate Ashley Craig (Laurel, MD/Laurel) posted 26 assists and five aces.

"I came to NJIT because I believed I could make a difference here,? Casado said. ?I knew there were a lot of freshmen coming in and that we could help. There is a lot of skill on this team, and I know we can be a winning team very soon.?

Of everyone who has played for the Highlanders since their last victory (September 20, 1999, against the College of Staten Island), no one has participated in more of the streak than current team captain Dolores Martinez (Tegucigalpa, Honduras/Old Bridge (NJ)), who endured the last 62 consecutive losses. Martinez was NJIT?s libero on Thursday and recorded three digs.

?I feel like this is a new beginning for us, ?Martinezsaid.?We were ready to win tonight, and we stayed ready every point until the end. It feels so good to be on a team full of fighters. I know there are many more wins to come.?

Felician falls to 0-5 in its inaugural season. Kelly Martin (Pennsauken, NJ) led the Golden Falcons with six digs.

The NJIT women?s volleyball team has four 20-win seasons and two ECAC Tournament berths in its history. Its most recent skid spanned parts of six seasons and four head coaches. Klimova is the program?s first full-time coach since 1991.

The NCAA all-divisions record for consecutive matches lost is 139 by Division-I Chicago State University from 1993-99.