EASTON, Pa.- The Lafayette volleyball team returned to Kirby Sports Center on Wednesday night and put on a dominant performance, sweeping NJIT (28-26, 25-19, 25-21) to close out its non-conference matches.

Freshman Emma Patmon hit .407 with 14 kills for her second match in a row. The Round Rock, Texas native also added six digs and three aces to her stat line. Juniors Elizabeth Flynn and Carson Grace Toomer picked up 24 digs between themselves, Flynn had 10 digs with two service aces and Toomer had 14. Senior Gracie Gibson was the standout on defense for the Leopards with three solo blocks and four block assists while adding five kills. Freshman Irelynd Lorenzen added a solo block and a block assist.

The first set of action was very back-and-forth between both sides. The scored was tied eight times and there were five lead changes. Lafayette was down 23-19 before Patmon had a kill, followed by junior Nina Kernan, who finished with four kills on the evening. An attack error on NJIT brought the Leopards within one point. The score was tied at 26 apiece before two attack errors from NJIT gave Lafayette the first set (28-26).

The second set of play favored Lafayette, despite starting the set down 2-0. The match was tied at 11 apiece before the Leopards went on a 5-0 run. Freshman Anna Van Wyk was at the service line. A kill from Kernan and a few attack errors from NJIT brought the score to 16-11. Patmon eventually finished off the set with a kill (25-19).

After a pair of one-sided sets, Lafayette kept momentum rolling, getting off to a hot start to begin the third. Van Wyk served for the Leopards as junior Abby Nieporte and sophomore Carol Ulichney added kills to bring them out to a 4-0 lead.

NJIT fought back to tie the game at 9-9. The Highlanders hit .157 on the night with Ines Varela and Sara Siefert leading the way with seven kills each.

The Leopards were firing on all cylinders ending the third set (25-21) with a kill from Patmon assisted by senior Alyssa Vitale. Vitale and Van Wyk did a great job setting up their teammates all night. Van Wyk tallied 21 assists and Vitale had 17.

Lafayette is back in action at 7 p.m. on Friday as it opens Patriot League play against Holy Cross.