Women’s Volleyball Rallies Past Roger Williams in Five-Set Thriller

BOSTON, Mass. – A career-high 25 kills by Kate McLane of the Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team led an impressive five-set comeback over the Roger Williams Hawks in conference action Wednesday night.

With the win, the Leopards improve to 11-8 overall and 2-1 in Conference of New England action while the Hawks fall to 10-10 (2-2 CNE).

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Roger Williams set out to a 6-3 advantage in the first set before a kill from Helen Barthe cut the deficit later to 8-6. The Hawks carried their lead to 15-9 before a finish by Riley Schoonmaker later cut the deficit to 18-13. Another kill by Schoonmaker cut the deficit to 20-16, but the Hawks ultimately held on for a 25-20 set win.
• After a kill by McLane helped the Leopards out to a 2-0 edge in the second frame, Roger Williams rallied for a 5-2 lead before a kill from Emma Sanders later helped knot the score at 7-all. A kill by Barthe marked a 13-9 advantage before finishes by Schoonmaker, Barthe, Sanders, and Clairissa Taylor pushed the lead to 18-13. Behind 20-16, the Hawks rallied to tie the set, and after juking out point-by-point, held off the Leopards for a 27-25 set win.
• The Hawks stretched out to a 7-3 lead in the third set before carrying the lead all the way to 16-11. However, the Black & Gold rallied, scoring four straight to cut the deficit to 16-15 before a finish by Schoonmaker later marked an 18-18 draw. Ahead 23-21, errors plagued the Hawks, bringing the Leopards back to tie, before two kills from Barthe and another from Sanders ultimately claimed a 26-24 win for Wentworth.
• A finish by McLane got Wentworth out to a 3-1 lead in the fourth frame before Roger Williams rallied to take an 11-6 lead. Two kills by McLane later knotted the score at 14-all before the Hawks set out to a 19-15 lead. Behind 22-19, a kill from Barthe cut the lead to 22-21 before a kill by McLane later capped a 25-24 edge. The two teams swapped scores until two errors ultimately decided a 30-28 set win for the Leopards.
• The two teams traded scores to open the fifth set before the Hawks carried out to a 7-4 lead. A finish from Barthe rallied the Leopards back to an 8-7 deficit before the Black & Gold totaled eight of the next nine points, including three finishes by McLane, to grab a 15-9 set win.

NOTEWORTHY:

• McLane set a five-set record with her 73 total attacks.
• Gianna Cefalu facilitated the offense with 47 assists, tied for the second-most in a five-set match.
• Wentworth moves to 8-2 on home court.

SERIES NOTES:

• The Black & Gold have won three straight matchups with the Hawks.

NEXT UP:

• The Leopards host Maine Maritime in non-conference play Friday night.

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