STANDISH, Maine – The Wentworth women's volleyball team split a pair of matches on the opening day of the SJC Autumn Invitational, falling to host St. Joseph's, 3-1, before rebounding with a 3-0 win over Lyndon State.
In the opener, which delayed for nearly an hour while the Leopards dealt with unforeseen travel issues, Wentworth (2-4) took a 25-22 opening-set win but proceeded would fall to the Monks (1-0), 25-18, 25-18 and 25-21 in the next three matches to suffer the setback.
Sarah Hawkes (Pownal, Maine) opened her junior year by registering a match-high 14 kills with 15 digs and four total blocks on the night. Erica Russi (Debary, Fla.) contributed 22 digs and five service aces - both career-highs - while Kiah Begley (Berwick, Maine) dealt a match-best 31 assists with 16 digs in the triumph. Kristin Palladino (Exeter, N.H.) added 11 kills and eight digs with a .308 attack percentage for Saint Joseph's.
Senior Julie Bruton (Montgomery, Texas) paced the Leopards with 20 digs and nine kills while freshman Shannon Ponce (San Jose, Calif.) chipped in with 25 assists and seven digs in a losing effort. Junior Julie Rahilly (Nashua, N.H.) added 11 digs and nine kills and sophomore Michelle Hobbs (Northwood, N.H.) notched nine digs and eight kills on the night.
The Leopards quickly recovered from their first match loss by posting a 3-0 win over the Hornets. Wentworth opened the match with a 25-9 win in the first set before closing out the sweep with 25-18 and 25-14 wins. Bruton posted 10 kills, Hobbs collected nine digs and freshman Lisa Osgood (Abington, Mass.) belted three service aces in the Wentworth victory.
Maegan Fried (Great Falls, Mont.) recorded five kills while Taylor Young (Lowell, Mass.) and Ariel Wright (Belmont, N.H.) tallied a pair of aces apiece in the Hornets' (0-2) second setback of the night.
Round-robin play resumes on Saturday with a pair of matches at 10:00 a.m. when St. Joe's faces Lyndon State and Husson faces Wentworth. The tournament championship and consolation events follow at 12:00 p.m.
(Release Courtesy of St. Joseph's Sports Information)