BOSTON, Mass. – Sophomore Jake Reed (Arvada, Colo.) recorded 14 kills and hit .500 to help the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's volleyball team claim its second straight win with a 3-0 win over Emerson in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action Thursday evening.
With the win the Leopards improve to 8-2 overall and 3-0 in GNAC play while the Lions saw their two-match win streak come to halt, falling to 2-3 (1-1).
The opening set was a back-and-forth affair which featured 11 tied and three lead changes. Emerson led 18-17 after a Jackson Wiley kill before a senior Sean Donahue (Lincoln, R.I.) kill and a block from sophomore Collin Ritter (Feeding Hills, Mass.) gave Wentworth the lead at 19-18. A Leopard service error knotted the score at 19-all, however the Leopards would tally six straight points – five of which came off kills from Reed and classmate Alex Potts (Niverville, N.Y.) to take a 25-19 win. Potts had five kills on five swings with Reed and freshman Sean Mullen (Longwood, Florida) recording four each.
In the second set Wentworth found itself trailing 17-16 before Mullen recorded a kill and a kill and a block from Reed gave the Leopards a 19-17 lead. Out of a timeout the Lions pulled within one on a service error and would eventually tie the set at 22-all. A Mullen kill and a Lion attack error gave Wentworth the chance to close out the set, however a bad set brought Emerson back within one at 24-23. Mullen finished the set with a kill, giving the Black & Gold a 25-23 win and a 2-0 lead. Reed had five kills in the set and freshman Jon Roat Macedon, N.Y.) added four.
Emerson held a 15-11 lead in the third set before Wentworth eventually came back to tie the set at 19-all. The teams would battle through three more ties, including at 24-all, and the hosts were serving for set point at 25-24. However, Wentworth would stave off set point and would do the same at 26-25 as a Ritter block and a Lion attack error gave Wentworth the chance to close it out at 27-26. Emerson tied the score for the 12th time during the set but kills by Reed and Mullen ended the match.
In addition to his 14 kills, Reed had a pair of blocks. Mullen served two aces and had six sigs, Potts had nine kills, four digs, and a block, and Donahue had seven kills. Ritter finished with 43 assists, 11digs, and three blocks.
Wiley led the Lions with 11 kills.
Wentworth travels to Vassar on Saturday for a tri-match with the Brewers and New Jersey City.
