Women's Volleyball Splits Matches With Wheaton and Framingham State

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - The Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team picked up a split of two matches Saturday afternoon, first falling 3-0 to Wheaton College, then defeating Framingham State University by a 3-1 score.

Wheaton 3, Wentworth 0

Wheaton got on a roll early, taking a 7-1 lead at the start of the match. A pair of kills by junior Viviann Goulet (North Kingstown, R.I.) and freshman Helen Barthe (Blythewood, S.C.) pulled the Leopards within four points, which was answered by three straight points from the Lyons. The teams traded points and Wheaton held a 16-12 lead, but the Lyons then ran off seven consecutive points to pull away in the set, going on to win the opener by a 25-16 score.

Wentworth started off better in the second set, and following kills from by junior Riley Waggoner (Simi Valley, Calif.) and Goulet had a 4-1 lead. The Lyons won four of five points to tie the score, and eventually took a 9-8 lead. The Leopards took the lead back with five straight points, including two kills apiece from Waggoner and Goulet. The Lyons then went on a run of their own, as Wheaton won six of the following seven points to take a 15-14 advantage. The Leopards were able to tie the set at 18 after a service ace by sophomore Megan Davies (Chandler, Ariz.) and a kill from sophomore Lauren Edmiston (Hockessin, Del.). The Lyons got themselves to a set point opportunity after a 6-1 run, but Wentworth came back with five straight to force a Wheaton timeout. The Leopards were not able to convert coming out of the timeout, with the Lyons picking up the point they needed to go up 2-0 in the match with a 25-23 victory.

Wheaton won seven of the first eight points of the third and looked to be in control. But the Leopards answered with a 7-1 run of their own and got within a point at 11-10. The teams then battled closely, with neither able to pull away. Following a kill by Edmiston, Wentworth still trailed by two points at 18-16. At that point the Lyons took the next three points, opening up a five point lead, and were able to hold that lead and take a 25-19 decision in the third set to close out the match.

Goulet led the Leopards with eight kills, while Waggoner picked up six. Freshman Lexi Zabloudil had a team-high 14 assists and led the way with nine digs, with Davies (Chandler, Ariz.) finishing with eight digs and two aces.

Wentworth 3, Framingham State 1

In their second match of the day, the Leopards took on host Framingham State. The Rams took an early 4-1 lead, but Wentworth tied the score at five after a pair of kills from freshman Abby Maher (North Granby, Conn.). Framingham State took the next three points, but the Leopards then took their first lead with a 5-0 run. Neither team was able to pull away, and the home team held a 17-14 lead in the latter stages of the opening set. Wentworth then ran off eight straight points to take control late, with senior Devin Neal (Loveland, Ohio) contributing three kills during the span. Following an ace from junior Peyton Tague (The Woodlands, Texas), the Leopards were able to close out the set with a 25-19 victory.

Following a pair of early kills from Goulet and Neal, Wentworth held a two point lead in the second. The Rams came back to take the lead, but the visitors were able to regain their two point advantage following kills by Barthe and Edmiston, and a service ace from freshman Ashley Cao (Morrisville, N.C.). The Leopards maintained their slim lead midway through the second set thanks to a pair of aces by Maher, but Framingham State then won four straight points to take an 18-16 lead. Still holding a two point lead late, the Rams closed out the set, again picking up four unanswered points for a 25-19 win and tying the match at 1-1.

Maher had three straight kills for the Leopards early in the third, and following kills by Neal and Barthe the visitors held a 7-3 lead. After the Rams pulled to within a point at 10-9, Wentworth created separation from their opponent. An 11-2 run followed for the visitors, featuring two kills apiece from Edmiston and Cao. The Leopards then finished off the set with two more kills by Cao and a pair from Maher, as Wentworth went up 2-1 with a 25-13 win.

Framingham State took a three point lead starting off the fourth set, but the Leopards came back to tie it at seven thanks to kills from Edmiston and Cao, while Tague added an ace. The Rams took the next four points to open up a lead and eventually extended their advantage to five before Wentworth went on a roll. The Leopards, facing an 18-13 deficit, won eight straight points, highlighted by three kills from Edmiston and three aces by Zabloudil. Framingham State won the next point to get within two, then Wentworth closed the match with four straight points. Cao picked up two kills and Maher added a finish of her own, as the Leopards came back to win the set and earned a 3-1 victory in the latter match.

Maher led the Leopards with 11 kills, while Neal had nine finishes and Edmiston picked up eight. Zabloudil had 23 assists on the match, with Cao adding 10 helpers. Maher had a team-high 14 digs, with Tague and Zabloudil helping out with 11 each. Zabloudil also added in three services aces for Wentworth.

THE SERIES:

This was the fifth meeting with Wheaton, and the Lyons now leading the series 4-1. The Leopards faced Framingham State for the 18^th time, and the Leopards picked up their fourth win against the Rams.

NEXT UP:

Wentworth returns to conference play this Tuesday, as the Leopards are on the road at Suffolk University at 7:00 p.m.

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