Montclair, NJ – Junior outside hitter LEAH HIGGINS posted 15 kills with CARLY WATERMAN adding 10 as second-seeded Montclair State swept past No. 3 seed Kean University in the semifinals of the NJAC Tournament at the Panzer Athletic Center on Tuesday evening.

Setter DELANEY ST. PIERRE recorded a double-double of 29 assists and 11 digs as the Red Hawks (5-1), captured the match 25-22, 25-17, 25-12 to advance to the championship match in the place where its season all started – Galloway, NJ against top-seeded Stockton.

The Ospreys and Red Hawks will meet on Thursday, March 25 at 7:00 pm in the Stockton Sports Center. Stockton recorded a 3-1 victory over Montclair in the season opener for both teams back on March 2. Since then MSU has won five straight and will look to capture its fourth league crown (1997, 2007, 2016).

It will be Montclair State's eighth appearance in the NJAC title contest and fourth in the last six seasons. In addition it will mark the third meeting between the teams in the championship game with Stockton posting wins in 2009 and 2015.

Montclair State jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the opening set, however overcame that deficit and led 14-11 forcing a timeout by the Red Hawks. Out of the break, MSU tied it back up, but Kean quickly answered with two straight for a 16-14 advantage. The two were deadlocked at 19-all when St. Pierre set up GIANNA ARIAS for a kill with an attack error making the score 21-19. Kean got a point back, but a kill by SKYLAR KOWALSKI and ace from SKYLER RIZZO increased the lead to 23-20. The Cougars trimmed that to a point before Kowalski accounted for the final two points on a kill and solo block.

The second set saw the Red Hawks take a 5-0 lead which later grew to 11-4 on an attack error by Kean. Higgins and Rizzo each added kills in a three-point run as MSU went up 18-8. A kill from Waterman boosted the lead to 22-12 with Kean countering with three in a row closing the gap to 22-15. The two traded the next four points with Higgins giving Montclair a 2-0 lead in the match as she put down set point.

The third set proved to be all Montclair State as the Red Hawks posted a .324 hitting efficiency committing just two errors in 34 attempts. Waterman and Kowalski each had kills and libero MADDIE VALKO an ace in a 4-0 run that gave MSU a 9-4 lead. The Cougars registered the next point, however, Montclair tallied eight the next nine, taking a 17-6 advantage. Consecutive kills from St. Pierre and Waterman pushed the lead to 22-9. Waterman finished off the match with back-to-back kills.

Kowalski finished with five kills for MSU, which got 14 digs from NJAC Defensive Player of the Week MADDIE VALKO. SIYARA HERBERT, the lone Red Hawk senior honored before the match, totaled 11 digs in her final home match.

Tuesday's match marked the eighth time MSU and Kean have squared off in the NJAC Tournament with the Red Hawks now 3-5 in those matches. Montclair's other two victories came during the 1998 and 215 campaigns.