ALBANY, NY – Jenna Bittinger notched a new career-high with 17 kills, leading the Houghton Highlanders to a three-set victory over Russell Sage College on Wednesday night.
 
Bittinger bested her previous high of 13 kills, established in a five-set loss to Penn State-Behrend on September 15, 2018, while committing only three attack errors and posting a .333 attack percentage.
 
In the first set Houghton overcame an early 12-10 deficit, thanks in large part to a 6-0 run, including five straight service points by Haley Unverdorben. 
 
Sage again opened up an early lead in the second, 7-3, before Brooke Decker reeled off seven straight service points to put the Highlanders up, 11-7.  A late six-point Sage run pulled the Gators within three, 19-16, but Houghton capitalized on kills by Alyssa Lyon and Decker and several Gator attack errors to win the set.
 
The Gators continued to battle deep into the third set, which remained tied, 17-17, until Houghton's offense began to click.  A pair of kills by Bittinger, followed by a pair of kills by Adeline Roeske, and another by Decker, put the Highlanders up 23-18.  Sage picked up a pair of points to pull closer, but Bittinger finished the game, and the match, with a kill and a service ace.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 3 | Sage – 0
Records: Houghton: 3-1 (3-0 Empire 8) | Sage: 0-6 (0-4 Empire 8)
Scores: 25-19, 25-20, 25-20
Venue: Kahl Gymnasium, Russell Sage Colleges | Attendance: 0

NOTABLE STATS
>> Unverdorben posted 26 assists, six digs and five kills, while Rebekah Clark posted a team high 18 digs.
 
>> Cecilia Gagnon led the Gators with nine kills, committing only three errors and posting a .316 attack percentage.  Elaina Moisidis collected a game-high 21 digs.
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders return to the Nielsen Center on Wednesday, April 7 for a matchup with Empire 8 rival St. John Fisher at 7:00 p.m.  Last season the Cardinals handed the Highlanders their only regular-season conference loss, a 3-1 defeat in Rochester.