BOSTON, Mass. – The Lesley University women's volleyball team scored six of the last seven points in the fifth and deciding set to take the set, 15-8, and defeat Wentworth Institute of Technology, 3-2, in the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
The visiting Lynx jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the first set and led, 17-8, before the Leopards pulled within six at 19-13. However, Lesley would hold off the hosts with a 25-15 win.
Wentworth found itself in an early hole in the second set, trailing by as many as seven. The Leopards clawed their way back to take a 20-19 lead and would lead 22-20 before Lesley scored two straight points to tie the set at 22-all. The teams traded points for a 23-all tie, but the Leopards pulled ahead, 25-23, to even the match at 1-all.
Looking to take a 2-1 lead, the hosts jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the third set. However, the Lynx mounted a comeback and would eventually score the set's final seven points to turn a 19-18 deficit into a 25-19 set win and a 2-1 lead. The Leopards staved off elimination in the fourth set with a total team effort. Wentworth jumped out to a 9-2 lead and never looked back lead by as much as nine points at one stage and knotting the match at 2-all with a 25-18 win.
The fifth set would be all Lesley as the Lynx jumped out to a 5-3 lead and would increase their lead to 9-5 before two straight points by the Leopards trimmed the lead to 9-7. That would be as close as Wentworth would come, however, as Lesley's 6-1 run closed out the set and the match.
Sophomore Megan Ortwein (Shanghai, China) ked the Lynx with nine kills and 13 digs, while classmate Kate Miller (Leesport, Pa.) had 35 assists to go along with 13 digs and seven service aces. Fellow sophomore Amanda McCracken (Eldersburg, Md.) had 15 kills to go with eight digs.
Junior Julie Bruton (Montgomery, Texas) had nine kills, three aces, seven digs, and four blocks for the Leopards, while sophomore Julie Rahilly (Nashua, N.H.) had seven kills and 17 digs. Freshman Michelle Hobbs (Northwood, N.H.) had 18 digs for Wentworth.
Lesley takes its third straight match and improves to 4-5 on the season. The Lynx are at CCRI on Thursday night. Wentworth falls to 3-8 and travels to Nashua, N.H., on Saturday for a tri-match with Rivier and Wesleyan.
