BOSTON, Mass. – Sophomore Samantha Lassiter (Rogers, Ark.) recorded eight kills without an error on 17 swings to help pace the Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team to a 3-0 win over the University of New England in a Commonwealth Conference match played at Tansey Gymnasium.
Winners of two straight, the Leopards improve to 13-1 overall and 2-1 in CCC play while the Nor'Easters fall to 3-10 (1-2).
Wentworth raced out to a 5-0 lead in the opening set with four points coming by way of UNE errors and sophomore Claire Quick (Mission Viejo, Calif.) serving an ace. The Leopard lead swelled to 8-2 before the Nor'Easters scored five of the next six points and pulled within three (9-6) on a kill from junior Bekah Mather (Welches, Ore.). Wentworth extended its lead to 15-9 after a kill from sophomore Leah Rogoz (Woodridge, Ill.). A junior Rene Roggenbuck (Goffstown, N.H.) kill made it 18-14 but that would be as close as the visitors would come as Wentworth took the opening set, 25-18. Rogoz and Lassiter had two kills apiece in the set for the Leopards while Mather and Roggenbuck had a pair of kills each for UNE.
The second set opened with four ties before an attack error and a kill from freshman Makenna Salsbury (Bel Air, Md.) gave the hosts a 6-4 lead. UNE used a 4-0 run and took an 8-6 lead on a Leopard attack error. Wentworth came back to tie the score at 8-all on a Quick kill and there would be three more ties before Wentworth used a 9-1 run and took a 23-14 lead on a block from Salsbury and senior Caroline Shea (Abington, Mass.). Five straight Nor'Easter points, capped off by an ace from freshman Molly Camelo (Melrose, Mass.) forced Wentworth to call time out. Out of the time out, Wentworth scored the next two points to take a 2-0 lead with a 25-19 win. Rogoz finished the set with five kills while Salsbury had a pair of blocks. UNE got four kills from Mather in the set.
After the hosts opened the third set with four straight points, including two on kills from Lassiter, UNE sliced the lead in half with two straight points. The Nor'Easters used a 6-1 run and tied the set at 8-all on a kill from Camelo before a 5-1 run gave the Black & Gold a 13-9 lead after a kill from Shea. The Nor'Easters scored the next three points to pull within one at 13-12, however, Wentworth scored four of the next five points and took a 17-13 lead on a sophomore Katie Clouse (Hudson Falls, N.Y.) ace. The Leopards completed the sweep with a 25-16 win. Lassiter had four kills on seven swings without an error in the set.
Rogoz finished with nine kills, 12 digs, two aces, and two blocks in the win. Freshman Caroline Rupp (Sayville, N.Y.) had five kills and did not make an error while Quick added four kills and had two aces. Sophomore Maddy Tomastik (Portland, Ore.) served four aces, Clouse had 16 assists and five digs, and sophomore Lexie Cambray (Bedford, N.H.) had eight digs.
Mather led the Nor'Easters with nine kills. Camelo and Roggenbuck had six kills apiece, senior Kristen Falcinelli (Silver Spring, Md.) had 17 assists, and freshman Sydney Christiansen (Palatine, Ill.) had 18 digs.
Wentworth hosts Babson on Thursday. That same night UNE hosts Rivier.
For the latest on Wentworth Athletics, follow the Leopards via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Wentworth Leopards "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.