WORCESTER, Mass. – Freshman Melissa Daigle (Norfolk, Mass.) recorded 15 kills and served five aces while junior Jenny Wallace (Holden, Mass.) added 11 kills and nine digs as the WPI women's volleyball team defeated Wentworth Institute of Technology, 3-1, in non-conference action at Harrington Auditorium.
With the win the Engineers improve to 6-2 on the season while the Leopards fall to 4-3. This marked the first time since the 2007 season these two schools have played against each other.
The Engineers staved off two set points in the opening frame, rallying to take a 26-24 win after three Wentworth miscues. Daigle would have five kills for WPI while junior Hannah Bailey (Plymouth, Mass.) had three for the Leopards and senior Sam Curran (Quincy, Mass.) had nine digs.
In the second set, Wentworth took a 25-16 victory to even the match at 1-all. Bailey and freshman Sydney Meyers (Arnold, Md.) notched a pair of kills apiece for the Black & Gold. Additionally, the Leopards also forced the Engineers to commit 14 errors and hit .000 for the set.
WPI took the third set by a 25-17 score as Wallace and sophomore Sam Bircsak (Acton, Mass.) and Daigle each had three kills, with Daigle serving a pair of aces. Sophomore Jordan Young (Derry, N.H.) had four kills for Wentworth and Curran had eight digs.
Set four was all WPI as the Engineers breezed to a 25-8 victory, using a balanced attack and forcing Wentworth to make seven errors and hit -.333. Bailey had Wentworth's lone kill in the set, however Young assisted on a pair of blocks.
Bailey finished with seven kills, while Young had six kills and two blocks. Meyers had five kills, seven digs, and two blocks. Curran had 24 digs and tied for the team high with freshman Katelyn Carlson (Stratford, Conn.) with two. Sophomore Amanda Hunton (Monroe, N.Y.) and senior Shannon Ponce (San Jose, Calif.) had 11 and 10 assists, respectively.
Wentworth is back in action on Saturday as the Leopards travel to Lasell for a tri-match against the Lasers and Maine Maritime.
