Women's Volleyball Downs Worcester State, Johnson & Wales in Home Tri-Match

BOSTON, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team (3-0) continued their hot start to the 2024 campaign Saturday at home as the Leopards fended off Worcester State (1-1) and Johnson & Wales (1-2) by 3-1 and 3-0 scores, respectively.

In match one, Kayla DeCastro sailed to a new career-high in kills with 18.

MATCH ONE: WENTWORTH 3, WORCESTER ST. 1

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After the Lancers set out to a 4-1 lead in the opening frame, two kills from Kinsey Lutz cut the deficit to 5-4 before the two teams traded scores, ending with an 11-11 knot on a finish by DeCastro. The Leopards separated themselves in a 17-14 score before a kill by DeCastro carried the lead to 20-18. Wentworth grabbed 25-24 and 26-25 set leads, but the Lancers rallied back to grab a 28-26.
• Kills by Lutz and DeCastro gave Wentworth an 8-5 lead in the second frame before kills by Lutz and Savannah Morford pushed the set to 15-8 later on. Two kills from Clairissa Taylor helped mark a 21-15 lead before three from Morford ultimately clinched a 25-17 set win for the Leopards.
• A 4-2 lead for Worcester State in the third set was later dwindled to 4-3 on a DeCastro kill. Later on, the Lancers set out to a 9-5 advantage before two DeCastro kills later cut the lead to 12-9. Down 15-10, a string of kills and errors gave the Black & Gold an 18-15 lead. Worcester State kept things close down the stretch, but finishes by DeCastro, Morford, Abby Maher, and Gianna Cefalu earned Wentworth a 25-20 set win.
• Two kills by DeCastro and another by Taylor helped the Leopards to a 5-1 lead in the fourth set before a kill by Morford later marked a 9-4 advantage. Another finish by Morford and two from Lutz marked a 13-5 score before Worcester State later closed the gap at 16-13. However, the Leopards rattled off six straight points to take a 22-13 lead before two kills by Lutz guided Wentworth to a 25-16 set win.

 SERIES NOTES:

• The Leopards have won five of the last seven matchups between the two teams.

MATCH TWO: WENTWORTH 3, JOHNSON & WALES 0

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• A kill by Kate McLane knotted things up at three aside in the first set before two service aces from McLane along with two kills, one apiece from Emma Sanders and Helen Barthe, pushed the set to 9-4 in favor of the Leopards. Another McLane finish marked a 15-9 score before two kills from Sanders helped continue the lead to 20-13. The Wildcats battled back, closing the gap to 22-18, but kills by McLane and Sanders helped seal a 25-19 set win for Wentworth.
• After the Black & Gold set out to a 3-0 lead, the two teams traded points, just before two kills from Sanders marked a 10-7 advantage. A kill from Barthe continued the score to 15-10 before Wentworth later rattled off eight straight points, including finishes by Maher, McLane, and Sanders, to take a 23-13 lead. The Leopards held on for a 25-16 set win.
• The third set began with traded points before the Black & Gold capitalized on 11 of the next 12 points, taking an 11-4 lead with kills by Sanders and Riley Schoonmaker. Three service aces by Sanders pushed the lead to 15-5 before two kills by McLane helped mark a 19-9 advantage. Two kills by Sanders and one apiece from Taylor and Schoonmaker eased the Leopards to a 25-12 set win.

NEXT UP:

• The Leopards continue their homestand Thursday against Elms.

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