PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Wentworth Institute of Technology junior Katie Clouse (Hudson Falls, N.Y.) dished out her 1,000th career assist in a 3-0 non-conference victory over Rhode Island College on Tuesday evening inside The Murray Center.
Clouse's milestone is the third in as many games for the Leopards, as senior Lillie Clark (Vista, Calif.) reached 1,000 career digs on October 3, while junior Leah Rogoz (Woodridge, Ill.) most recently hit 1,000 career points last Friday. Clouse is the fifth women's volleyball player at Wentworth to reach the 1,000 assists plateau.
The win runs the Leopards' streak to 11 games in a row, which ties the program record's win streak established last season.
Wentworth downed the Anchormen by set scores of 25-13, 25-23, and 25-21, highlighted by .314 hitting in the first frame. With Clark on the serve for five straight points, the Leopards jumped to an early 10-2 lead, using kills from Rogoz, Clouse, and freshmen Mary Zlotosch (Durham, N.H.) and Devin Neal (Lebanon, Ohio). A swing from Zlotosch gave Wentworth a heavy double-digit lead, 20-10, before the Leopards scored the final five of eight points with a final kill from junior Claire Quick (Mission Viejo, Calif.).
RIC built an early 5-0 lead in the middle frame with Jacqueline Jutras on the serve, highlighted by a pair of service aces. The Leopards chipped away at the deficit, but the Anchormen managed to stay out in front until Wentworth called a timeout, trailing 12-16. Clouse ignited a 5-0 run, as Zlotosch swung into a pair of aces to give the visitors their first lead of the set, 17-16. Both teams battled point-for-point, until a WIT miscue put the pressure on as the set read 23-23, but back-to-back kills from Zlotosch axed any need for extra points with a 25-23 win.
The last set was evenly matched with neither team building a substantial lead. Wentworth trailed 16-18 late in the frame, but a kill apiece from Zlotosch and Quick and a Rhode Island attack error put the Leopards out in front, 19-18. RIC tied the set at 19-19, and again at 21-21, but Wentworth shut it down with a final 4-0 run.
Rogoz recorded her twelfth double-double of the season with 12 kills and 18 digs, while she contributed 15 points overall with two service aces and two assisted blocks. Zlotosch rounded out double-digit kills for the Leopards with 10, while hitting .333 with just two errors on 24 swings. Junior Lexie Cambray (Bedford, N.H.) and Quick registered 16 and 14 digs, respectively, while Clouse's 19 assists gave her exactly 1,000 career assists.
Wentworth returns home to Tansey Gymnasium on Thursday for a 7:00 p.m. non-conference match with Regis.
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