BOSTON, Mass. – Junior Julie Bruton (Montgomery, Texas) recorded nine kills, seven service aces, and four blocks as the Wentworth women's volleyball team snapped a four-match losing streak with a 3-1 win over Daniel Webster in a non-league contest played at Tansey Gymnasium. The win was the Leopards' fourth of the season, tying the total from a season ago.
The visiting Eagles erased an early, 9-2 deficit in the first set with a 10-2 run that led to a 12-9 lead. Wentworth fell behind by five at 14-9, but scored two straight points to pull back within three (14-11). Daniel Webster scored the next seven points to extend the lead to 21-11 before closing out the first set with a 25-14 win.
Daniel Webster held an 8-4 lead in the second set before Bruton brought the Leopards back into the match by serving seven straight points and would give Wentworth a 12-8 lead. The Eagles pulled within a pair at 16-14 before a 5-0 Leopard run made it a 21-14 set. Daniel Webster scored eight of the next 11 points to pull to 24-22, but Wentworth held off the run and evened the match with a 25-22 win.
The third set saw the hosts jump out to a 10-1 lead before Daniel Webster would eventually trail by five at 17-12. The momentum shifted in favor of the Eagles, who, after trailing 18-12, went on an 8-0 run to take a 20-18 lead. Junior Emily Travis (Somerset, Mass.) served seven straight points for the visitors. After tying the score at 20-all and then falling behind, 21-20, sophomore Julie Rahilly (Nashua, N.H.) tied the set with a point and then served four straight points to give Wentworth the set, 25-21.
Wentworth trailed, 9-4, early in the fourth set before Bruton helped her team's cause by serving six straight points – including three aces – and gave the Leopards an eventual 11-9 lead. Daniel Webster fought back and would get as close as one (19-18), but Wentworth closed out the match with a 25-19 win in the fourth set.
Freshman Michelle Hobbs (Northwood, N.H.) also recorded nine kills for the Leopards, while Rahilly had eight kills, five digs, four aces. Sophomore Rebecca Williams (Brockton, Mass.) had 10 assists
Sophomore Chelsey Crawford (Westfield, Mass.) led the Eagles (5-4) with 11 kills, while classmate Jenny Finneran (Barnstead, N.H.) added eight kills and three aces. Travis (Somerset, Mass.) chipped in with six kills and three aces. Junior Caitlyn DePierro (Billerica, Mass.) dished out 26 assists and four aces, while sophomore Catherine Ferraro (Litchfield, N.H.) notched 11 digs.
Wentworth, now 4-10 on the season, is at Endicott on Saturday for a The Commonwealth Coast Conference tri-match against the Gulls and Western New England. Daniel Webster travels to Johnson State on Sunday.
