Leopards Sink Sharks in Five Sets

Boston, Mass. – Senior Claire Quick (Mission Viejo, Calif.) set a new career-high of 21 kills, leading the Wentworth women's volleyball team to a five-set victory (21-25, 25-17, 25-27, 25-18, 15-10) over Simmons University on Thursday evening.

The Leopards win their first East Coast match after playing in the 2019 Pacific Coast Classic to start the season, and improve to 3-2 overall. The Sharks drop to 2-3 with the setback. 

STAT LEADERS – Wentworth

Kills – Claire Quick (21), Leah Rogoz (17)
Digs – Lexie Cambray (24), Leah Rogoz (14), Claire Quick (11), Jordan Chapman (10)
Assists – Chaise Kakuk (27), Jordan Chapman (22)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Sharks broke a 10-10 tie in the first set with four unanswered points and back-to-back kills from Krissy Lloyd and Amanda Fortune. Morgan Weeg later gave the Sharks a six-point lead 20-14, before Simmons fought off a 6-2 run from Wentworth to end the frame.
• Wentworth came flying out of the gates in the second set, hitting .500 as a team yielding just one error with 18 kills. The Leopards ran out to a 10-5 lead, and later turned a 7-1 run to hold a commanding 18-9 advantage following a kill from sophomore Mary Zlotosch (Durham, N.H.). Wentworth fought off any sort of retaliation from the Sharks, ending on a service ace from CCC rookie of the week Jordan Chapman (Clearwater, Fla.).
• Both teams went the distance in the third set, which required extra points following a three-point comeback from Wentworth thanks to a kill apiece from senior Leah Rogoz (Woodridge, Ill.) and junior Caroline Rupp (Sayville, N.Y.). Rupp put the Leopards ahead 24-23, but Simmons erased the deficit with an ace from Morgan Lauvray and a kill from Lloyd. Rogoz tied the set 25-25 before a WIT error and an ace from Julia Fusco gave Simmons a 2-1 match lead.
• Wentworth wouldn't let Simmons hold on to the match lead for long, hitting .279 in the fourth with just three errors to force a deciding set. After seven set ties, the final coming on the heels of a three-point run from Simmons, (10-10), Wentworth put the pedal to the floor and scored five straight points leaving no room for the Sharks to respond.

NOTEWORTHY

• Quick's new career-high also sets the record for most kills over five sets, previously set by Rogoz with 19 on 09/14/18.
• Quick, Rogoz, and Chapman all notch double-doubles in the victory.
• Kakuk's 27 assists are a new career-high for the freshman, and ranks second all-time in assists over five sets
• Kakuk, Cambray, Quick, Samantha Lassiter (Rogers, Ark.), and Chapman combined for 59 team assists, which sets a new team record (previously set on 09/09/17 vs WPI).
• Wentworth is 14-6 overall against the Sharks, dating back to 1991.

NEXT

The Leopards continue non-conference play on Saturday with a 12:00 p.m. match at Worcester State.

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