NEWPORT, R.I. – Sophomores Nora Donahue (Braintree, Mass.) and Samantha Higgins (Coventry, R.I.) each tallied 10 kills as the Salve Regina University women's volleyball team defeated Wentworth Institute of Technology, 3-0, on Tuesday evening in Commonwealth Coast Conference play. The Seahawks defeated the Leopards by scores of 25-18, 24-16, 25-13.
With the win, Salve Regina improves to 9-13 overall and 3-1 in league play, while Wentworth falls to 7-14 and 0-4.
Senior Hannah Bailey (Plymouth, Mass.) and sophomore Sydney Meyers (Washington, D.C.) paced the Black and Gold with five kills apiece, freshman Sarah Hyndman (Encinatas, Calif.) and junior Stephanie Nihan (Dracut, Mass.) each had four kills. Junior Amanda Hunton (Monroe, N.Y.) and sophomore Katelyn Carlson (Stratford, Conn.) had seven and four assists, respectively, while freshman Lillie Clark (Vista, Calif.) had 13 digs.
Salve Regina junior Kat Mendez (New Bedford, Mass.) finished the match with seven kills, seven digs and a pair of service aces, senior Emily Lipinski (Hampden, Mass.) tallied seven kills and freshman Erin Proctor (Canton, Mass.) registered 32 assists.
Both teams swapped points during the start of the first set before a service error by the Leopards jumpstarted a 7-1 run for the Seahawks which pushed ahead, 11-4. Nihan helped Wentworth respond with a trio of kills, igniting a 7-2 run to bring the visitors within two points (14-12) midway through the session. Wentworth and Salve Regina traded points over the next few serves before a kill by Higgins resulted in a 5-1 spurt that provided the hosts with their initial set victory of the evening.
Wentworth overcome a six-point deficit early in the second session to even the set at 6-6, but a kill late in the stanza by Higgins helped Salve Regina respond with a 13-4 run to capture the frame. The Leopards had four opportunities to halt the run, but Nihan's kill late in the session did not stop the Seahawks' momentum.
A service error early in the third stanza sparked a 7-2 run for the Leopards to claim a 9-7 advantage. Higgins and Mendez helped the hosts even the set with back-to-back kills, which jumpstarted a 7-1 run that put Salve Regina ahead, 16-11. Bailey's kill, which halted the run, brought the visitors within five points, but Salve Regina countered with a 9-2 run to close out the session and clinch the match.
Both teams return to action later this week as Wentworth travels to UMass Dartmouth on Thursday, October 15 for a 7:00 p.m. start, while Salve Regina heads to Roger Williams University on Friday, October 16 for a 7:00 p.m. first serve.
