ON TO SEMIFINALS: Women's Volleyball Takes UNE by Storm in CCC Quarterfinals

BOSTON, Mass. – For the second straight season, the Wentworth women's volleyball team is headed to the Commonwealth Coast Conference semifinals after a 3-0 victory over UNE on Tuesday evening inside Tansey Gymnasium.

The Leopards will host a semifinal match for the first time in program history on Thursday with a 7:00 p.m. start time against Salve Regina.

The second-seeded Leopards took the seventh-seeded Nor'easters by storm with set scores of 25-16, 25-21, and 25-18, hitting above .300 in two of the frames. Wentworth had a solid start to each set, and jumped to a 10-3 lead to open things up. UNE took its first timeout of the match and turned an 8-2 run using kills from junior Paige Simoneau (Hudson, N.H.) and senior Rene Roggenbuck (Goffstown, N.H.), pulling within three at 11-14. Wentworth never surrendered the lead, as junior Claire Quick (Mission Viejo, Calif.) ignited a 6-1 run to lengthen the gap by eight points. The Nor'easters chipped away and wouldn't allow the deficit to reach double-digits, but a final kill from junior Leah Rogoz (Woodridge, Ill.) gave the hosts a 1-0 match lead. 

Junior Maddy Tomastik (Portland, Ore.) used three service aces and a handful of kills from teammate Quick and freshman Mary Zlotosch (Durham, N.H.) to give Wentworth a commanding 10-0 advantage start the second set. The heavy lead wouldn't last long, as the Nor'easters rallied with five straight points in the middle of the set, pulling within a single point, 15-16. The hosts used their first timeout of the match to settle things down, and came out of the break with three unanswered points, forcing UNE to use a timeout in turn. Though Wentworth stayed in front for the set's remainder, UNE would not go quietly, and used two kills from sophomore Syndey Christiansen (Palatine, Ill.) and one apiece from junior Katie Flynn (Merrimack, N.H.) and Roggenbuck to come as close as two points, 21-23. Wentworth, which then burned its final timeout of the set, used back-to-back swings from Rogoz to close the frame, and headed into set three with a 2-0 match lead.

UNE battled with the Leopards from the get-go before an ace from Rogoz gave the hosts a 10-5 advantage in the final set of the evening. After a WIT miscue and junior Katie Marsh (Melbourne, Australia) on the serve, UNE rattled off three unanswered points that gave the Leopards pause, as the hosts called timeout leading 13-10. An attack error from Simoneau put Wentworth in front seven points, a gap which the hosts held until a final solo block from junior Samantha Lassiter (Rogers, Ark.) for the 25-18 final. 

Recently named to the CCC All-Conference Teams, Rogoz and Quick each contributed with yet another double-double in the victory. Quick led the Leopard attack with 14 kills (.343) with 15 digs, while Rogoz followed close behind with 13 kills (.286) and 10 digs. Junior Lexie Cambray (Bedford, N.H.), also an All-Conference selection, added 11 digs defensively, while Tomastik and Zlotosch split setter duties with 23 and 13, respectively. Lassiter, an All-CCC second team selection led the Leopards on the block this evening with two solos and three assisted.

The Nor'easters were paced by seven kills apiece from Christiansen and All-CCC honoree Roggenbuck, with Christiansen also recording a double-double of 10 digs and 20 assists. In a solid defensive effort, four players registered 10 digs or more, led by Simoneau with 14. Sophomore Molly Camelo (Melrose, Mass.) and Marsh joined Christiansen with 10 digs each.

First serve between the Leopards and the Seahawks is set for 7:00 p.m., and the live stream can also be viewed at www.wentworthathletics.tv.

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