BOSTON, Mass. – The #1 Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team swept #4 Gordon on Thursday night to advance to a third consecutive conference championship match. The Leopards will take on #3 Endicott for the third straight year in the championship game. Olivia Vaughn tallied 29 assists to become the program's all-time assist leader while Emma Sanders hit .412 with a team-high 15 kills.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The opening set was a tightly contested battle with the sides exchanging points and the lead. The Fighting Scots jumped in front 10-9 after a kill from Haley Hutzler before a 4-0 run highlighted by two service aces from Ainsley Gregson put the hosts back in the lead. Gordon stayed in the game, fighting back to keep it a one-point game with Wentworth ahead 17-16. With the score knotted up at 18, three attacks errors from Gordon and kills by Elena Davenport and Emma Sanders gave the Leopards a six-point lead and set point. Another attack error secured the set, 25-18, and gave Wentworth the 1-0 lead.
- Much like the opening frame, the second set was an intense battle with several long rallies. Gordon built a 3-0 lead early before the teams went back and forth once again with the game tied at 8-8. Riley Schoonmaker's kill gave the Leopards a two-point edge, but four straight points gave the visitors the lead shortly after. A kill from Maria Clarabuch pushed the Fighting Scots' lead to 17-13, looking to tie the match. Back-to-back kills from Sanders and an ace from Kate Koliopoulos got Wentworth right back in it, now trailing by one. After Gordon led 18-16, the Leopards went on a 9-0 run to close the set, highlighted by Kayla DeCastro's two aces and five strong finishes by Sanders, to give Wentworth the 25-18 win and 2-0 lead in the game.
- The Leopards jumped out to 7-2 lead to begin the third set behind kills from Vaughn and Sanders. Attack errors from both sides moved the game into a 12-6 score with Wentworth in front and victory in their sights. Kate McLane and Schoonmaker combined for two strong finishes, stretching the lead to 15-7 before back-to-back scores from Gordon stopped the run. After Ava Rocchio's kill, Gordon had five straight attack errors to give the Leopards a commanding 21-9 lead in the final frame. Annie Zimmerman had two kills in a 5-0 run to bring the visitors with seven, but a 4-0 run from Wentworth secured the set 25-14 and the 3-0 sweep.
- Koliopoulos tallied a team-high 12 digs and added one ace while Gregson recorded two aces and seven digs. Rocchio's six blocks led the team and Schoonmaker and McLane combined for nine kills.
THE SERIES:
- Tonight was the 30th all-time meeting between the two teams. Wentworth has won the last five meetings.
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