Union, NJ – Junior outside hitter LEAH HIGGINS posted nine kills and 10 digs as Montclair State posted its second straight victory, sweeping past Kean University 3-0 at Harwood Arena on Tuesday evening.

Freshman middle blocker SKYLAR KOWALSKI collected eight kills and a pair of blocks for the Red Hawks (2-1, 2-1 NJAC), who took the match 25-21, 25-20 and 25-22 to snap a five-match losing streak to Cougars (1-1, 1-1 NJAC). MSU's last win came in October 2016, a three-set triumph at Harwood.

Montclair State collected three straight points to take a 6-3 lead in the opening set and widened the lead to 12-6 on back-to-back kills by Kowalski and setter DELANEY ST. PIERRE. Kean closed to 20-17, however two attack errors and a St. Pierre ace gave the Red Hawks a 23-18 advantage. The Cougars won three of the next four points, but CARLY WATERMAN nailed down the final point as MSU took a one-set lead with the 25-21 win.

In the second set, two kills by Higgins around another St. Pierre ace turned a one-point deficit into a 10-6 Montclair lead. After Kean pulled within 13-11, Montclair ran off four straight, the last a kill from Waterman making the score 17-11. Michelle Froelich's kill brought the hosts back to 20-18 before three straight MSU point put the score at 23-18. Sophomore GIANNA ARIAS's kill got MSU to the penultimate point and the Red Hawks took the set, 25-20 on a Kean miscue.  

The Cougars jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the third only to see MSU battled back to 9-8 with a six-point run. Kowalski served three straight points, including an ace on the last one as MSU moved back in front, 13-11. The teams were tied at 20-20 when Higgins recorded a kill and a block by Arias and St. Pierre sent the Red Hawks into the lead. St. Pierre and Aras each had one more kill and Montclair closed out the set and the match as Higgins put down her ninth and final kill.

St. Pierre totaled 26 assists along with five kills and eight digs while Waterman and Arias had five kills each. Libero MADDIE VALKO, the NJAC Defensive Player of the Week, registered 17 digs.

Montclair State returns to action on Thursday, March 11 with another road NJAC contest. The Red Hawks will be in Camden, NJ to face Rutgers-Camden at 6:00 pm.