Women's Volleyball Dominates Rivier, Worcester State in Dig Pink Tri-Match

BOSTON, Mass. – In their annual Dig Pink tri-match Saturday, the Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team (10-5) didn't surrender a set across the day, sweeping Rivier (8-4) and Worcester State (6-10) behind a balanced offensive attack.

MATCH ONE: WENTWORTH 3, RIVIER 0

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• A kill from junior Helen Barthe (Blythewood, S.C.) helped the Leopards get out to a 2-0 lead in the first set before the Raiders came back to tie the set at three points each. A kill by freshman Kayla DeCastro (Miami, Fla.) gave Wentworth their lead back at 5-3 before Rivier marched back to eventually take an 8-6 lead. Rivier continued their lead to 12-9 until a kill from graduate student Riley Waggoner (Simi Valley, Calif.) dwindled the deficit to two at 12-10. Behind 17-12, two service aces and a kill from Barthe brought Wentworth back in a 17-16 game. A kill from junior Ema Thompson (Lewiston, Idaho) helped the Leopards take a 22-18 lead before a kill from Barthe clinched the Leopards a 25-23 set win.
• Three straight kills from DeCastro, Barthe, and sophomore Riley Schoonmaker (Montgomery, N.Y.) gave Wentworth a 5-2 lead to start the second set. A kill by Barthe continued the lead to 8-4 before a series of service aces by Schoonmaker helped the Leopards stretch their lead to 16-5. Back-to-back kills from Waggoner and Barthe pushed the lead to 22-6 before a kill from DeCastro notched a 25-9 set win and a 2-0 lead.
• Kills from Barthe and DeCastro gave Wentworth a 2-1 edge in the third set before the Raiders took a 4-2 advantage. Down 6-3, kills by Schoonmaker and DeCastro helped the Leopards knot the score at six-all. The two teams traded points until errors gave Wentworth an 11-10 edge. The Leopards separated themselves in a 17-12 score thanks to a kill from Waggoner and two service aces from senior Megan Davies (Chandler, Ariz.). Rivier cut the deficit to 18-16 and later 21-19 before kills from Thompson and Waggoner gave Wentworth a 25-19 set win and a match sweep.

SERIES NOTES:

• Today's match was the first between the two teams since 2012.

MATCH TWO: WENTWORTH 3, WORCESTER ST 0

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Lancers began the first set with a 2-1 edge before the Leopards rattled off six straight points to take a 7-2 advantage. A kill by Schoonmaker continued the lead to 9-3 before back-to-back kills from Thompson and Waggoner continued the lead to 13-6. A series of errors capped by a kill from senior Shelby Seage (Cocoa, Fla.) pushed the advantage to 19-8 before another run by the Leopards, including kills from Barthe and Schoonmaker, continued the lead to 23-10 before errors gave Wentworth a 25-14 set win.
• Two kills from Waggoner knotted the score at two apiece before kills from Barthe and Schoonmaker separated the Leopards in an 8-5 score. The Lancers took an 9-8 lead before a kill from DeCastro tied the score at nine apiece. Behind 14-12 later in the set, back-to-back kills from DeCastro tied the score at 14-all before another kill from DeCastro gave the hosts a 21-18 lead. A Waggoner kill helped the Leopards grab a tight 26-24 set win and a 2-0 match lead.
• After being down 2-0 in the third set, the Leopards scored three straight points to take a 3-2 edge before Worcester State took 6-4 and 7-5 leads. Down 10-6, back-to-back kills from Thompson cut the deficit to 10-8. Worcester State held a 13-11 lead followed by a 16-14 lead before a Seage kill cut the deficit to 16-15. Miraculously, Wentworth rattled off ten straight points, including four kills from Thompson, to take a 25-16 set win and a 3-0 match win.

SERIES NOTES:

• The Leopards have won five of the last seven matches against the Lancers.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth travels to UNE on Wednesday for their second conference match of the season.

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