BRISTOL, R.I. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team powered past eight-time Commonwealth Coast Conference Champion Roger Williams, 3-1, on Thursday evening inside.
The Leopards earn their first win against the Hawks in 43 known meetings dating back to 1990, and improve to 3-0 in the conference for its best season against league opponents in program history.
Wentworth took the first two sets by scores of 26-24 and 25-21, before Roger Williams prevented the sweep with a 25-23 comeback in the third. In an evenly matched battled to close out the evening, Wentworth sealed the match victory with a 25-21 set score.
No set victory came easy for either team, as both squads battled point-for-point throughout the match. With the score tied 24-24 in the first set, junior Leah Rogoz (Woodridge, Ill.) gave the Leopards match-point with a kill from classmate Maddy Tomastik (Portland, Ore.), before a power ace from Lexie Cambray (Bedford, N.H.) gave Wentworth a 1-0 match lead.
In the second frame, the Leopards bounced back after trailing 13-15, with a 4-0 run ignited by a kill from sophomore Caroline Rupp (Sayville, N.Y.) to then lead the hosts 17-15. Two WIT miscues tied the set up again 17-17, but the Leopards used three kills from Rogoz to regain the advantage, 20-18. Wentworth stayed out in front for the remainder of the set, as a final block from Rupp and freshman Devin Neal (Lebanon, Ohio) gave Wentworth a 2-0 match lead.
Despite the Leopards holding a 23-21 lead late in the fourth, Roger Williams used its electric home crowd to ignite a 4-0 run, earning its first set win of the evening, 25-23. The fourth set experienced nine ties before junior Claire Quick (Mission Viejo, Calif.) deadlocked the frame for the last time, 18-18 with a kill off the hands of Tomastik. Neal and classmate Abigail Mains (Goldendale, Wash.) stood tall on the block to give Wentworth a 19-18 advantage, before the Leopards closed out on a 6-3 run in the historic match victory.
Quick set the record for most digs in a single match, and registered 31 overall, alongside 16 kills and four aces for her fourth double-double of the season. Rogoz recorded her seventh straight double-double and ninth of the year with a match-high 20 kills (.204%) and 22 digs, while Cambray rounded out a solid defense performance with 20 digs. Junior Katie Clouse (Hudson Falls, N.Y.) and Tomastik dished out 25 and 18 assists, respectively, while Rogoz and Samantha Lassiter (Rogers, Ark.) each had a solo block.
Wentworth (12-2) returns to Tansey Gym on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. when they host Anna Maria in non-conference action.
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