BOSTON, Mass. – Junior Grayson Szcepaniak (Lakewood, Ohio) and sophomore Courtney Lambrese (Cranston, R.I.) each recorded 14 kills to help pace the University of New England women's volleyball team to a 3-2 win over Wentworth Institute of Technology in the Commonwealth Coast Conference opener for both squads.
With the win the Nor'Easters improve to 3-3 overall (1-0 CCC) while the Leopards fall to 4-8 (0-1).
In the first set, UNE lead by as many as four on three occasions, including at 14-10. Wentworth scored six of the next eight points to tie the set at 16-all on a service error and the set would be tied at 19-all as well. Scoring four of the next five points, Wentworth took a 23-20 lead on a service error and would take the first set, 25-22. Freshman Sarah Hyndman (Encinitas, Calif.) and senior Hannah Bailey (Plymouth, Mass.) each had a pair of kills for the Leopards. Szczepaniak had three kills and two blocks for the Nor'Easters.
The Nor'asters led from start to finish in the second set, opening with a 7-1 run and extended their lead to 20-6 on a Lambrese kill. The Leopards clawed their way back to get within eight at 22-14, however UNE took a 25-14 win to even the match. Lambrese had three kills for the Nor'Easters while junior Stephanie Nihan (Dracut, Mass.) added two for Wentworth.
UNE took a 2-1 lead in the third set with a 25-21 win. Despite five ties early in the set, the Nor'Easters used an 8-1 run to turn a 10-10 score into an 18-11 lead after an attack error. Wentworth inched back to come within three at 24-11 after an attack error, however a Lambrese kill ended the comeback and the set. Szczepaniak had five kills for UNE and Bailey added four for the Leopards.
Needing a win to keep the match alive, Wentworth evened the match with a 25-18 win in the fourth set. The Leopards raced out to an 8-1 lead – with Nihan on the line for six of those eight points – and never looked back. Bailey had five kills in the set and four digs in the set. Szczepaniak and Lambrese paced UNE with three kills each.
In the fifth set, the Nor'Easters took a 4-1 lead before Wentworth closed the gap to 5-4. However, UNE scored 10 of the set's final 12 points to take a 15-6 win. As a team UNE hit .571 and didn't make an attack error on 21 swings. Lambrese had four kills in the set.
Sophomore Erica Rumery (Wolfeboro, N.H.) added eight ills while junior Erika Sawicki (Wilbraham, Mass.) had seven kills. Lambrese also served three aces and Szczepaniak had four blocks. Sophomore Kristen Falcinelli (Silver Spring, Md.) had 22 assists and sophomore Brittany Morrison had 15 digs.
Bailey led the Leopards with 13 kills to go along with a dozen digs. Hyndman had five kills and two blocks, sophomore Katelyn Carlson (Stratford, Conn.) had three blocks and a pair of aces, freshman Lillie Clark (Vista, Calif.) had 11 digs and four aces, while junior Amanda Hunton (Monroe, N.Y.) had 16 assists and 10 aces.
Both teams continue CCC play on Saturday with Wentworth at Endicott and UNE at Western New England.
