WORCESTER, Mass. – Freshman Claire Quick (Mission Viejo, Calif.) recorded 20 kills and 36 digs and classmate Leah Rogoz (Woodridge, Ill.) added 20 kills and 22 digs as the Wentworth Institute of technology women's volleyball team split a pair of matches at a tri-match hosted by WPI. The Leopards (6-1) were handed their first defeat of the season with a 3-1 setback to the host Engineers before defeating Mount Ida, 3-0.
WPI 3, WENTWORTH 1
The Leopards saw their five-match win streak to open the season halted as they were bested by the host Engineers who remained undefeated on the season. In the opening set Wentworth pulled to within 9-8 before WPI used a 9-3 run to extend its lead and would eventually capture the set, 25-14. Rogoz had three kills for Wentworth while freshman Samantha Lassiter (Rogers, Ark.) and senior Stephanie Nihan (Dracut, Mass.) had two apiece.
Wentworth bounced back in the second set to even the match with a 25-20 win. The Engineers held a 13-7 lead, however six straight Wentworth points, capped off by a junior Katelyn Carlson (Stratford, Conn.) kill evened the set and forced the Engineers to call time out. Out of the time out, the run was extended to 8-0 on a Quick kill and an attack error. WPI would tie the set three more times, including at 20-all, however five straight points clinched the set for the visitors. Quick had three kills and five digs and Lassiter added a pair of blocks.
WPI led wire to wire in the third set, taking a 25-19 victory. Rogoz paced the Leopards with five kills and Quick had three kills and 11 digs.
The Engineers clinched the match with a 25-21 win in the fourth set, a set that would feature 12 ties and four lead changes. Wentworth held a 14-12 lead after a Quick kill, however a 5-1 Engineer run gave the hosts the lead for good at 17-15. In the set Quick had three kills and seven digs while Rogoz, Nihan, and junior Caroline Shea (Abington, mass.) had two kills apiece.
Rogoz finished the match with 11 kills and 12 digs while Quick had 10 kills and 25 digs. Lassiter added six kills and five blocks, and Shea had four kills and three blocks. Freshman Katie Clouse (Hudson Falls, N.Y.) had 22 assists and Carlson also added 13 helpers.
WENTWORTH 3, MOUNT IDA 0
Mount Ida claimed an early, 4-2 lead in the match's first set before Wentworth used an 8-1 run to take a 10-5 lead after a Carlson service ace. The Leopards maintained a consistent lead throughout the set with the Mustangs coming within one on a pair of occasions, including at 21-20. However, Wentworth scored four of the next five points to take the 25-21 win. Quick had five kills and four digs in the opening frame while Rogoz added three kills and freshman Lexie Cambray (Bedford, N.H.) had five digs.
The Leopards hit a match-high .227 in the second frame while forcing the Mustangs to hit -.023 in the wire-to-wire win. Wentworth led by as many as nine late before taking the 25-19 win. Lassiter had four ills on 10 swings without an error and quick had three kills and six digs.
Mount Ida led for most of the third set before a furious comeback by Wentworth completed the sweep. The Mustangs took a 22-13 lead after a kill, however Lassiter and Carlson combined for a block to start a run which put freshman Maddy Tomastik (Portland, Ore.) on the line. Tomastik served nine straight points to give the Leopards a 23-22 lead. After a kill halted the Mustang drought, Rogoz recorded a kill but match point was staved off when Wentworth made a serving error. The Leopards finished the set with two straight points to take the 26-24 win. Rogoz had five kills on 11 swings without an error in the set while Lassiter and Carlson had two blocks each.
Quick finished the match with 10 kills and 11 digs while Rogoz had nine kills and 10 digs. Lassiter had six kills, two aces, and two blocks, Carlson had 10 assists, three aces, and two blocks, and sophomore Lillie Clark (Vista, Calif.) had 15 digs.
WPI
Mount Ida