Maher Sets New Program Mark as Women’s Volleyball Handles Rivier, VTSU

NASHUA, N.H. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team (6-0) continued their hot start to the season into Saturday, sweeping both Rivier (2-4) and Vermont State Castleton (3-2). By sweeping the Raiders and Knights, the Leopards have won 15 straight sets dating back to August 31 and have only dropped two through their six matches.

In match one, Abby Maher bested the previously set program-best mark in service aces, notching 12 against the Raiders.

MATCH ONE: WENTWORTH 3, RIVIER 0

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The two teams swapped scores to open to initial set with Rivier taking a 7-5 lead before two kills from Emma Sanders and another by Kayla DeCastro gave the Leopards an 8-7 edge. A finish by Kate McLane helped continue the lead to 12-9 before two kills by Sanders paced the advantage to 18-13. McLane went on a run to end the set, notching four kills en route to Wentworth's 25-20 set win.
• A slew of Raiders' errors kickstarted an 8-2 run for the Leopards to open the second frame before a string of ten service aces by Abby Maher bolstered Wentworth's lead to 23-6. A kill by DeCastro and service ace by Sanders sealed the Leopards' 25-7 set win.
• Two kills from McLane and two service aces from Amanda Zweifler ran Wentworth to a 6-0 lead in the third set before a Sanders' kill marked an 8-2 lead. A kill and three service aces by McLane paced and helped push the advantage to 19-2 before two service aces by Maher gave the Leopards a 25-5 set win.

 SERIES NOTES:

• The Black & Gold have won two of the last three matches between the two teams.

MATCH TWO: WENTWORTH 3, VERMONT ST. CASTLETON 0

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The two teams traded scores to begin the first set before kills by Sanders and Savannah Morford gave the Leopards an 8-5 lead. Kills by McLane and Riley Schoonmaker pushed the score to 12-6 before four service aces by Gianna Cefalu sandwiched two kills by McLane to extend the lead to 24-9. Wentworth grabbed a 25-10 set win on a Maher finish.
• A slew of errors gave the Leopards a 5-0 lead to start the second frame before a kill by Sanders marked a 9-5 score. Two service aces by Maher helped push the advantage to 16-6. Three kills by Kinsey Lutz paced the Black & Gold to a 25-14 set win.
• Two kills by McLane marked a 3-1 score for the Leopards in the third set before two kills by Morford helped pace them out to a 10-5 lead. Two kills by Lutz marked a 13-10 advantage before the Knights battled back to knot the score at 15-all. A slew of errors plagued the rest of the set, with the Leopards prevailing with a 25-20 set win.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth visits UMass Boston on Wednesday.

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