BOSTON, Mass. – Junior Carly Sibiskie (Rockfall, Conn.) had a match-high 13 kills and served five aces to help pace the Western New England University women's volleyball team to a 3-0 win over Wentworth Institute of Technology in Commonwealth Coast Conference play Thursday night.
With the win the Golden Bears improve to 17-9 overall and 6-2 in CCC play while the Leopards see their program best nine-match win streak come to an end and sit at 22-4 (5-3).
Western New England took a 12-9 lead in the opening set after a freshman Ashley Matthews (Salem, N.H.) kill. Wentworth battled back and would tie the set at 17-all on a freshman Samantha Lassiter (Rogers, Ark.) ace, however a 6-0 Golden Bear run gave them a 23-17 lead and eventually took the set, 25-19. Freshman Claire Quick (Mission Viejo, Calif.) had a pair of kills for the Leopards in the opening frame.
To open the second set, Wentworth scored five of the first six points as freshman Leah Rogoz (Woodridge, Ill.) had a pair of aces. The Leopards fended off a Golden Bear run of 9-4 which made it a one-point margin at 13-12 and extended their lead to 18-14 on a junior Katelyn Carlson (Stratford, Conn.) kill. However, Western New England held the hosts to just two points over the remainder of the set, using an 11-3 run to take a 25-21 win. Lassiter and junior Caroline Shea (Abington, Mass.) had two kills and two blocks in the set while Rogoz and Quick had two kills apiece.
Western New England held a 10-6 lead in the third set after a freshman Cassandra Holmes (Ellington, Conn.) kill. Wentworth scored five of the next six points to tie the score at 11-all on a block from Shea and senior Stephanie Nihan (Dracut, Mass.). A kill from freshman Ashley Matthews (Salem, N.H.) broke the tie, giving the Golden Bears the lead for good and the visitors led 23-17 after a service error. However, Wentworth would not go quietly, using a 6-0 run to pull within one at 24-23 on back-to-back service aces from sophomore Lillie Clark (Vista, Calif.). Out of a time out, Western New England ended the match on a junior Emmaline Chiodini (St. Louis, Mo.) kill. Lassiter and Rogoz had three kills in the set with Nihan and Shea recording three and two blocks, respectively.
Lassiter finished the match with seven kills on 13 swings without an error (.538) and three blocks. Rogoz added six kills, three aces, 11 digs, and two blocks. Shea and Nihan had four blocks apiece. Carlson had 10 assists and 10 digs, Quick had four kills and 11 digs, and Clark served a pair of aces.
Both teams are in action on Thursday night as Wentworth is at Mass. Maritime and Western new England is at Keene State.
