BOSTON, Mass. – Paced by junior Hannah Bailey (Plymouth, Mass.) and freshman Sydney Meyers (Arnold, Md.) who each recorded 11 kills, the Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team won its second straight match, defeating Anna Maria, 3-1, in non-conference action at Tansey Gymnasium.
With the victory, the Leopards improve their record to 9-8 on the season, while the AMCATS fall to 7-8. Wentworth also extended its series win streak to 12, improving to 16-3 against Anna since the 1996 season.
The Leopards were in control for the majority of the first set. Tied at 8-all, Wentworth went on a 10-0 run to lead 18-8, thanks to the serving of senior Shannon Ponce (San Jose, Calif.). However, Anna Maria responded with a nine-point run, which included four service aces by freshman Rebecca Foti (Bedford, N.H.). The two teams exchanged points back and forth up until the score was tied at 22. Anna Maria scored three straight points, capping off the first set with kills from Foti and junior Jessica Goulet (Lawrence, Mass.) to win 25-22.
Wentworth responded in the second set by opening on a 9-2 run. The Leopards held the lead throughout the second, but Anna Maria did look to comeback towards the end. A block by sophomore Stephanie Nihan (Dracut, Mass.) and freshman hitter Kayla Gendreau (Hudson, N.H.) gave the Leopards a 24-19 lead. Freshman outside hitter Sydney Meyers (Arnold, Md.) ended the set with a kill assisted by Ponce to take the set 25-19.
Although the Leopards opened the third set with an early 9-3 lead, Anna Maria managed to fight back to bring the score to 15-14. Wentworth however, soared back with a 10-2 run. With the score 23-16, Ponce faked a set at the net and recorded a kill for the Leopards. An attack error on the next rally gave the Leopards the 25-16 victory in the third set.
After Anna Maria scored the first two points, Wentworth never trailed in the final set. Despite committing four straight attacking errors to tie the score at seven, the Leopards went on a 10-3 run to take a 17-10 lead. Wentworth closed out the set with a key block from sophomore Jordan Young (Derry, N.H.) and Meyers and a service ace from sophomore Amanda Hunton (Monroe, N.Y.) to win 25-13.
Meyers would hit .360 for the match, while Bailey also had eight digs. Young and Gendreau had four blocks each, Ponce had 35 assists, Hunton served seven of the Black & Gold's 13 aces, and Curran had 22 digs.
Foti paced the AMCATS with eight kills, four aces, eight digs, and two blocks. Freshman Telliah Bursie (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) had eight kills and three blocks, junior Samantha Parker (Athol, Mass.) had 21 assists and 10 digs, Goulet had four blocks, and junior Brittany Jackson (Larchmont, N.Y.) had 14 digs
Wentworth returns to action on Tuesday, October 7 at 7 p.m. to host Endicott in a Commonwealth Coast Conference matchup. Anna Maria travels to Norwich on Saturday for a tri-match featuring Norwich and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
