BOSTON, Mass. – Sophomore Hannah Bailey (Plymouth, Mass.) recorded nine kills, three aces, and 14 digs to help pace the Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team to a 3-2 win over Gordon in its Commonwealth Coast Conference opener. With the win the Leopards improve to 9-4 overall (1-0 CCC), while the Fighting Scots fall to 6-7 (0-2). The nine wins surpasses last year's win total of eight.
In the opening set, Gordon a quick 6-2 lead before Wentworth took its first timeout. The timeout settled down the Leopards and they quickly tied the match at six a side. The Fighting Scots then took control of the middle stages, but Wentworth battled back to take their first lead at 17-16. The opening frame was tied four times at six, nine, 15 and 19 before Gordon finished the set on a 6 to 1 run to take a 25-23 win.
The second set was tied at five when Wentworth went on a 9-0 run sparked by freshman Stephanie Nihan's (Dracut, Mass) timely offense to make the score 13-5. After a timeout, the Fighting Scots bounced back to take eight of the next nine points to tighten the match 15-13 in favor of the Leopards. The set would be tied late at 19 and 21, but the Black & Gold outlasted Gordon to lock up the match at one a piece, 25-23.
The back-and-forth action continued in the third set as the teams were tied at 10. Wentworth responded to an early, 5-0 run by the Fighting Scots with its own 10-2 run; half the points came with Amanda Hunton (Monroe, N.Y.) serving, to make the score 18-12. Gordon then called timeout and took 12 of the next 18 points to tie the game at 24. Both sides would take leads late in the set but Wentworth fought back from a 28-27 Gordon lead to take the last three points and win the set 30-28.
With the Leopards holding a 2-1 lead, the fourth set was tied five times in the first thirteen points with Gordon clinging to a 13-12 lead. The Fighting Scots then took seven of the next ten points to take a 20-15 lead that they would not relinquish. Wentworth would get the score to 22-20 with a 3-0 spurt but Gordon held on to force a fifth and deciding set with a 25-21 victory.
In the deciding set, the two teams split the first six points before the Leopards took eight of the next 10 points to take an 11-5 lead. Bailey led the charge with early kills to put the Fighting Scots on their heels. Gordon got within five and made the score 12-7 with solid serving from freshman Maggie Risma (Hudson, Ohio) but would not get any closer as the Black & Gold captured their fourth straight match with a 15-8 win.
Sophomore Jordan Young (Derry, N.H.) and freshman Sheena Dignean (Constantia, N.Y.) had sevene kills apiece, with young adding a pair of blocks. Nihan had six kills and four blocks, while Hunton had seven aces and 16 kills. Junior Sam Curran (Quincy, Mass.) chipped in with 16 digs and classmate Shannon Ponce (San Jose, Calif.) had 23 assists and 15 digs.
Gordon sophomore Jessica Burdick (Bewerton, N.Y.) led all players with 13 kills to go along with three aces and a pair of digs. Senior Chelsie Clemens (Santa Barbara, Calif.) added 11 kills and three aces of her own, while junior Laura Schmidt (Stuart, Fla.) had 10 kills. Senior Lauren Kranyak (Locust Grove, Va.) had 45 assists.
Wentworth is at Salve Regina on Saturday, while Gordon is at Regis on Thursday.
