DUDLEY, Mass. – A balanced attack by the top-ranked Wentworth Institute of Technology men's volleyball team (13-0) proved to be the difference Friday night as the Leopards completed a back-to-back with a four-set victory over No. 14-ranked Nichols (13-2) for their thirteenth straight win to open the season, a program best mark.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Wentworth wasted no time in the first set, racing out to a 14-3 advantage on a slew of kills from a handful of student-athletes. The Bison stormed back, later closing the gap at 16-13, before kills by seniors Jacob LaBouliere (Pipersville, Pa.) and Jacob Waga (East Northport, N.Y.) helped push the lead to 19-14. Two kills by sophomore Nicolai Bell (Moraga, Calif.) and another by Waga helped the Leopards hold on for a 25-17 set win.
• Nichols jumped out to a 7-3 lead to open the second set, with the advantage closed to 8-5 on kills by Bell, Waga, and junior Sam Etter (Massillon, Ohio). Nichols held the lead until an error tied the score at 10-all. From there, the Bison never surrendered the lead, with Wentworth tying the score later at 16 aside with the help of a Waga kill. Behind 23-21, a kill by Waga cut the gap to one, but the hosts held off Wentworth for a narrow 25-23 set win.
• The two teams swapped scores to open the third set, with the Black & Gold taking a 7-6 edge on a LaBouliere kill. Nichols bounced back to take a 10-7 lead before a kill by LaBouliere helped knot the score at 11-all. A kill by Etter later gave Wentworth a 16-13 advantage before two kills by Bell marked a 20-14 set. Kills by Waga, LaBouliere and Bell ultimately gained the Leopards a 25-17 set win and a 2-1 match lead.
• The two teams again traded points to open the fourth set, with the Leopards taking a 5-3 advantage on a service ace by Waga. A kill by Bell pushed the lead to 8-5 before a kill by Etter later marked an 11-8 set. Two kills by Bell paced Wentworth to a 15-12 lead before the Bison later battled back to take an 18-17 edge. A LaBouliere kill knotted the score at 18-all before Wentworth rallied to take a 25-23 set win over the Bison on kills by Waga, LaBouliere, Bell, and freshman Conner Foxwell (Harrisburg, Pa.).

SERIES NOTES:

• The Black & Gold own the all-time series, 5-0, having gone 2-0 against the Bison this season.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth hops back into conference play Tuesday at Elms.
  
  

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