BOSTON, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team won its first two home matches of the 2013 season as the Leopards rallied to defeat Mount Ida, 3-2, and defeated Daniel Webster, 3-1. Mount Ida fended off Daniel Webster in the day's middle match.
MATCH #1: Wentworth 3, Mount Ida 2
After winning the opening set, 25-10, the Leopards dropped the next two but forced a fifth set with a 25-20 win. Wentworth scored the first seven points of the deciding set as freshman Amanda Hunton (Monroe, N.Y.) served all points, including three aces. After Mount Ida had cut the score to 9-2, the Black & Gold scored the final six points to take the victory.
The early stages of the opening set saw four ties and the Mustangs take a 5-4 lead. However, the lead was short-lived as the Leopards scored the next six points and would eventually extend their lead to 18-9 before scoring the set's final five points for the 25-10 win.
Mount Ida took a 6-3 lead at the start of the second set before three straight Leopard points tied it at 6-all. However, the Mustangs scored the next six points to take a 12-6 lead, a lead they would not relinquish. Wentworth came within a pair on three occasions and trailed, 21-17, before Mount Ida scored the final four points to even the match. The momentum carried over into the third set where the Mustangs took a 9-6 lead, and, after Wentworth tied it at 9-all, scored seven of the next nine points to take a 17-11 lead. The Leopards cut the lead to 17-14, but an 8-2 Mustang end gave them a 2-1 lead with a 25-16 win.
Wentworth would force the deciding game by using an 8-2 run to turn a 3-3 game into an 11-5 lead. Mount Ida clawed its way back to come within 17-14, but four straight points by the Leopards extended the lead to 21-14 before winning, 25-20.
Sophomore Hannah Bailey (Plymouth, Mass.) led the Leopards with eight kills and 15 digs. Freshman Sheena Dignean (Constantia, N.Y.) added seven kills while sophomore Jordan Young (Derry, N.H.) had four. Hunton had three aces and 14 digs, junior Sam Curran (Quincy, Mass.) had 28 digs, and junior Shannon Ponce (San Jpse, Calif.) added 19 assists.
Junior Hillary Kostner (Corona, Calif.) paced the Mustangs with 12 kills and 10 digs, while senior Abbey Fedigan (New Fairfield, Conn.) added four digs. Freshman Molly Alkinburg (Port Deposit, Md.) and sophomore Kelcey Koolman (Bedford, N.H.) had four aces apiece. Koolman also added 10 digs. Sophomore Nicole Peixoto (New Bedford, Mass.) had 25 assists.
MATCH 2: Mount Ida 3, Daniel Webster 1
The Mount Ida Mustangs earned a four set victory against Daniel Webster in the second match of Saturday's tri-match held at Wentworth Institute. Mount Ida dropped the first set in a close battle at 23-25, but was able to rally for the next three games, winning 25-18, 28-26 and 25-21. With the win Mount Ida improves to 2-6, while Daniel Webster remains winless at 0-2.
Both teams had identical hitting percentages for the match at .189 each. The Mustang's balanced attack was paced by Hilary Kostner (Corona, Calif), who tallied double digit kills with 11. Just behind Kostner was Alysha Dunbar (Quincy, Mass.) with 10 kills. Nicole Batakis (East Longmeadow, Mass) followed with 8 kills and Abbey Fedigan (New Fairfield, Conn.) chipped in 7.
The defensive effort was led by Kelcey Koolman (Bedford, N.H.) with 16 digs and Kostner also hit double digits with 10.
For Daniel Webster, Samantha Betts (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif) was the only Eagle with double-digit kills coming in at 11. Christina Matos (Tampa, Fla.) recorded 7 kills on the afternoon, all without making a single error for the match.
Maggie Belli (Miami, Fla.) led the defensive charge for the Eagles with 14 digs, while Betts recorded 11. Also to note Sarah Durocher (Keene, N.H.) recorded a match high 7 aces to help DWC record 17 total aces for the match.
Mount Ida will return to action at home on Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. when they take on Wheaton.
Daniel Webster fell to host Wentworth in the third and final match of the afternoon and now stand at 0-3. They will host Suffolk on Sept. 12 with game time slated for 7 p.m.
MATCH 3: Wentworth 3, Daniel Webster 1
After dropping the first set 25-23, the Leopards surged back to take the next three sets from the visiting Eagles of Daniel Webster College to win the match 3-1. The deciding set started off evenly, with the teams tied at 7 and then again at 13. The stalemate continued until Wentworth took six of the last eight points, capped by sophomore Jordan Young's kills (Derry, N.H.) to complete the 25-19 victory.
The opening set began with back and forth action. With the score at 7-6, Wentworth went on a 5-0 run to take a 12-6 lead. But the Eagles battled back and made a 5-0 run of their own to get back into it. Just went it looked like Daniel Webster was taking command, the Leopards ripped off eight of the next ten points to make the score 21-15. However, history repeated itself quickly as the Eagles matched the Leopards' eight-of-ten run and took the first match 25-23.
The Leopards and Eagles played a hotly contested set number 2. Wentworth's Hannah Bailey (Plymouth, Mass.) and Daniel Webster's Madeline Roulier (Pittsfield, Mass.) traded kills throughout the match. But, in the end the combination of Bailey and teammate Sheena Dignean's (Constantia, N.Y.) power were too much to overcome and the Leopards took the match 25-22.
Set number three was tied at 18 before Jordan Young (Derry, N.H.) and Sheena Dignean (Constantia, N.Y.) lead the charge with three straight kills. After a timeout by the Eagles the Leopard's 21-18 lead was cut to just one. But Young was at it again, this time on the defensive end with a block to swing the momentum back in the Leopard's favor. The win was capped by Hannah Bailey's kill, and the Leopards took the 25-21 win.
The final set showcased both teams with the lead late once again. The Eagles and Leopards exchanged multiple long volleys throughout. But in the end, Wentworth's combination of serving and defense was too much to for the Eagles to overcome. The Leopards took the set 25-19 to complete a sweep of their home opener.
Sophomore Hannah Bailey led the Leopards with 14 kills and 7 digs. Freshman Sheena Dignean added 10 kills and 6 digs, while Jordan Young added another 6 kills and 13 digs. Freshmen Stephanie Nihan (Dracut, Mass.) and Amanda Hunton (Monroe, N.Y.) both had five kills. Hunton added five digs in the victory.
Freshman Madeline Roulier (Pittsfield, Mass.) paced the Eagles with 11 kills, 10 digs, and an ace. Sophomore Anela Sehic (Manchester, N.H.) added 14 kills, while Sarah Durocher (Keene, N.H.) had 5 kills and 5 digs. Samantha Betts (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) led Daniel Webster with 4 aces.
Mount Ida
Daniel Webster