BOSTON, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team used .317% hitting as a team to shut down Emmanuel in straight sets Saturday afternoon inside Tansey Gymnasium.
The Leopards, who earn their first victory against the Saints in a 20-game series, improve to 10-2 on the year, while Emmanuel drops to 4-4.
Wentworth used .467% hitting in the first set to take a 25-9 win, escaped with a 25-23 win in the middle set, and closed the match with a 25-16 victory. The Leopards jumped to a 10-5 lead after a kill from freshman Abigail Mains (Goldendale, Wash.), before senior Lillie Clark (Vista, Calif.) steered the Leopards on the serve to a 17-5 advantage, including two service aces. Junior Lexie Cambray (Bedford, N.H.) served back-to-back aces and forced Emmanuel into a timeout, 22-8, before freshman Mary Zlotosch (Durham, N.H.), junior Samantha Lassiter (Rogers, Ark.), and senior Claire Quick (Mission Viejo, Calif.) sealed the set 25-9.
Emmanuel fought back in the middle frame, which experienced nine ties before a kill from freshman Krisila Hammett (Boiling Springs, S.C.) and two attack errors gave Wentworth the narrow 25-23 win. The Leopards found themselves out front early again in the third, doubling up on the Saints, 10-5, after a kill from Hammett. Clark again dominated the serve and guided the Black & Gold to a 18-6 lead with two service aces in the frame. Emmanuel showed life in the following plays and used a 10-4 run to cut the deficit to six, but a kill from sophomore Makenna Salsbury (Bel Air, Md.) and an EC attack error sealed the match for Wentworth.
Quick led the Leopard attack with 10 kills (.360%), 10.5 points, and seven digs, while Hammett followed with a season-high eight kills (.316%), 8.5 points, and five digs. Classmate Mains hit .429% with seven kills and 7.5 points, while Lassiter contributed 7.0 points with six kills and two assisted blocks.
Defensively, Clark recorded a season-high 16 digs alongside four aces, totaling 20 aces on the season. Clouse and junior Maddy Tomastik (Portland, Ore.) dished out 18 and 16 assists, respectively.
Senior Mary Shelow (Miami, Fla.) led the Saints with 11 kills, followed by junior Alexandra Mezzo's (Naugatuck, Conn.) six kills and five digs. On the reception, eight of nine players recorded at least one dig, paced by senior Katharine Journeay (Hampton, N.H.) with 18. Senior Carly Church (Higganum, Conn.) had a match-best 23 assists for the Saints in the effort.
The Leopards travel to Biddeford, Maine on Tuesday for their next content in a 7:00 p.m. conference match against the University of New England.
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