BOSTON, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team outlasted Salve Regina University, 3-2, in its Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) opener Wednesday evening inside Tansey Gymnasium.
The Leopards improve to 9-2 overall and 1-0 in league play, while the Seahawks drop to 9-4 and 0-1 in the CCC.
Wentworth took the first two sets by force with set scores of 25-19 and 25-17. The Leopards forced Salve into seven errors each in the opening sets, while freshman Mary Zlotosch (Durham, N.H. and junior Katie Clouse (Hudson Falls, N.Y.) led on the attack. Salve switched gears for the middle sets, hitting a match-best 3.75% in the third with 11 kills and two errors on 24 swings. Salve took the middle sets 25-14 and an extended 28-16, but the Leopards bounced back with a 15-12 win in the deciding set, highlighted by .348% hitting.
Down 10-9 in the fifth after a kill from Salve freshman Madison Lee (Dover, Fla.), the Leopards came out of a timeout on a quick 3-0 run, with a kill apiece from junior Leah Rogoz (Woodridge, Ill.) and Zlotosch and an ace from Clouse to take a 12-10 advantage. The Seahawks clawed back within one point from Lee at 12-11 and again at 13-12 from senior Cassidy Trabilcy (Phoenix, Ariz.), but back-to-back swings from junior Samantha Lassiter (Rogers, Ark.) and freshman Jade Iaradola (Miami, Fla.) sent the Seahawks home packing.
Rogoz, selected as this week's CCC Player of the Week, posted her fifth straight double-double with 18 kills, 10 digs, and three aces. Two Leopards followed in double-digit kills, as Iadarola posted 10 and Zlotosch registered 11. Junior Lexie Cambray (Bedford, N.H.) led four players in double-digit digs with 21 overall, while Clouse's 15 digs alongside 24 assists marks her second double-double of the year.
Two Seahawks registered double-doubles in the effort, led by Trabilcy with 15 kills and 21 digs. Freshman Nicole Karabaich (Greenlawn, N.Y.) followed with 14 kills and 20 digs, while Lee rounded out double-digit attack numbers with 13 kills.
The Leopards return to Tansey Gymnasium when they host Emmanuel College Saturday for an 11:00 a.m. non-conference match.
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