BOSTON, Mass. - The Wentworth Institute of Technology Women's Volleyball team swept its home tri-match against Pine Manor College and Becker College. The Leopards controlled both matches and did not drop a set along the way, moving their record to 13-7 on the season. In the middle match of the day Becker topped Pine Manor, 3-0.
MATCH #1: Wentworth 3, Pine Manor 0
The opening frame began with the Leopards taking seven of the first 10 points behind sophomore Hannah Bailey's (Plymouth, Mass.) early kills. With the score 7-3, Wentworth took the next three points, which were sparked by Stepanie Nihan (Dracut, Mass.) explosive offense. The Black & Gold dominated the middle stage of the match with strong offense from their middle and outside hitters to take an 18-9 lead. The Gators then took three straight points to pull within eight at 18-11. But Wentworth responded by taking seven of the last eight points to win the set 25-12.
Pine Manor jumped out to a quick 3-1 lead to begin the second set. The Gators' lead stood until the Leopards ran off four straight points to take an 8-5 lead. After a Pine Manor timeout, the Gators took three of the next four points before the Leopards went on a 6-0 run to force another timeout by the visitors. With the score 15-9, Wentworth closed the set on a 10-3 run highlighted by a freshman Griffin Sacco (New Fairfield, Conn.) ace and a Jordan Young (Derry, N.H.) kill. The Leopards would take the second set 25-13.
The final frame featured back-and-forth play with six ties and four lead changes. Wentworth controlled the early stage of the set by taking a 10-7 lead. However, the Gators bounced back by going on a 10-4 run. With the run Pine Manor took a 15-14 lead. The Black & Gold then took 10 of the next 13 points to win the set 25-18.
Wentworth's Jordan Young (Derry, N.H.) led all the Leopards with eight kills, while freshman Sheena Dignean chipped in seven kills and two digs. Junior Sam Curran (Quincy, Mass.) had 13 digs and three aces. Junior Shannon Ponce (San Jose, Calif.) had 23 assists to go along with one ace and three digs.
Pine Manor was led by freshman Susan Le's (Lowell, Mass.) four kills, one ace and seven digs. Junior Destiny Mann (Orlando, Fla.) added three kills and seven digs, while teammate Alexis Bushika (Adams, Mass.) led the team with six assists.
MATCH #2: Becker 3, Pine Manor 0
Becker began the match by taking the first three points before Pine Manor took a timeout. The Gators came out of the timeout and responded with three points to tie the set at 3-all. The Hawks then took 10 of the next 13 points to extend their lead to 13-6. After a Pine Manor point, Becker tallied 12 of the next 15 points to take the set 25-10.
The Gators opened the second set with a 7-2 lead ignited by Phalonge Pierre's (Boston, Mass.) overpowering offense. The Hawks counterattacked by taking 13 of the next 16 points capped by a senior Jacqueline Chila's (Monroe, Conn.). Pine Manor then responded by taking seven of the next eight points to tie the game at 18 apiece. Becker would control the remainder of the set and finished off set two with a 25-22 victory.
The third set was tied at three and five before Becker went on a 9-0 run to take a 13-5 lead the Hawks would not relinquish. Their 5-2 run that gave them an 18-8 lead was enough to close the door. Pine Manor would hang tough and get within four with a 5-0 run to make the score 22-18 in favor of Becker, but the Hawks would finish the set strong and take it 25-20.
Becker's Marissa Turner (Coventry, R.I.) led the way with seven kills, and seven digs, while Chila chipped in with seven kills and two digs. Classmate Katelyn Burns (Fall River, Mass.) had six kills and 12 digs. Junior Lauren Lavallee (Millbury, Mass.) led the match with 20 assists, she also recorded a kill and a dig.
Pine Manor was led by Le who had six kills and seven digs. Pierre and Natasia Franklin (Windsor, Conn.) added five kills each; Pierre tallied six digs as well. Alexis Bushika recorded 13 assists in the contest.
MATCH #3: Wentworth 3, Becker 0
The match began with Becker taking the first two points before the Leopards recorded three straight aces and extended their lead to 6-3. With the score 14-10 in favor of Wentworth, the Black & Gold would take eight of the next 11 points, highlighted by two kills by Bailey. The run helped the Leopards extended their lead to 22-13. Wentworth would take the final three points capped off by Nihan's block to end the first set 25-14.
Wentworth stormed out to a 4-0 lead in the second set behind freshman Amanda Hunton's (Monroe, N.Y.) play at the service line. Becker would then take three of the next four points, but the Leopards responded by taking the next eight points to extend their lead to 13-3. The Hawks bounced back and went on a 5-0 run of their own to pull within seven at 16-9 but Wentworth showed their defensive prowess and ended the set with a 25-15 victory.
The final frame was tied at 6-all when Becker took three straight points to lead 9-6. Becker would extend their lead to 16-13 before Wentworth called a timeout. After the timeout Wentworth finished the match on a 12-4 run highlighted by Nihan's back-to-back kills and capped off by a Hunton ace. The Leopards won the final set 25-20.
Bailey recorded 13 kills, and six digs, while Nihan added eight kills. Amanda Hunton added three aces and chipped in four kills and ten digs. Ponce had a match-high 24 assists and Curran tallied 14 digs.
Turner led the Hawks with eight kills and added eight digs. Burns led all players with 16 digs and added a pair of kills. Chila recorded four kills, while Bethany Stone (Norwich, Conn.) notched two kills and seven digs. Lavallee led the Hawks with eight assists.
Pine Manor
Becker