PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology men's volleyball team held off a rally by Johnson & Wales as the Leopards edged the Wildcats, 3-2, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action on Monday night.
With the win the 14th-maked Leopards improve to 13-3 overall and remain undefeated (4-0) in GNAC play while the Wildcats fall to 12-4 (2-2).
Freshman Sean Mullen (Longwood, Fla.) paced Wentworth with 16 kills and seven digs while freshman Jon Roat (Macedon, N.Y.) and sophomore Jake Reed (Arvada, Colo.) each had 12 kills for the Leopards. Sophomore Collin Ritter (Feeding Hills, Mass.) notched 47 assists with four kills and three blocks in the victory.
Johnson & Wales sophomore Brendan Baker (Providence, R.I.) recorded a career-best 20 kills and added five digs and three blocks while junior Ryan Kennedy (West Barnstable, Mass.) added a double-double with 14 kills and 10 digs in the setback. Setter J.J. Bessette (Coventry, R.I.) notched 46 assists and added two blocks for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats had control of the first set and held the 14-8 advantage after a block by Baker. Wentworth responded, however and knotted the set at 17-17 on a kill by Ritter. Johnson & Wales had the 19-17 lead late in the first set, but the visiting Leopards took over down the stretch to take the 25-19 win in the set and a 1-0 lead in the match. Wentworth led the entire second set, taking the 25-20 win to pull ahead 2-0 in the contest.
Down 2-0, the Wildcats started their comeback in the third set, using a 9-4 run late in the set to take a 23-18 lead after a Wentworth miscue. Johnson & Wales then held on for the 25-20 win to close the gap to 2-1. Johnson & Wales would knot the match at 2-2 with a commanding performance in the fourth set as the hosts hit .591. The Wildcats raced out to the early lead and had a 20-11 lead on a kill by Baker then cruised to the 25-18 win to set up the fifth and deciding set.
The two teams battled back and forth early in the final set with neither team holding a more than two-point advantage. Johnson & Wales trailed just 11-10 on a kill by Kennedy, however Wentworth then scored the final four points of the set to seal the 15-10 win and the 3-2 win in the contest.
Wentworth travels to Lasell on Thursday night while Johnson & Wales is at Emerson that same night.
