SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Sophomore Carly Skibinski (Milford, N.J.) hit a match-high .318, including tallying 10 kills, which helped the Western New England women's volleyball team defeat Wentworth Institute of Technology in straight-sets on Saturday afternoon in the AHLC Field House on Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Coast Conference play.
With the win, the Golden Bears conclude their regular season 13-12 overall and 5-3 in conference play, while the Leopards end their season at 10-17 (1-7).
Sophomore Sydney Meyers (Washington, D.C.) paced the Black and Gold with 10 digs and five kills, junior Amanda Hunton (Monroe, N.Y.) recorded nine assists, while senior Hannah Bailey (Plymouth, Mass.) and junior Stephanie Nihan (Dracut, Mass.) tallied three kills apiece.
Western New England senior Olivia Lathrop (Farmington, Conn.) recorded nine kills, junior Jessica Sincero (Verplank, N.Y.) registered 13 assists, and freshman Emily Woodford (Belchertown, Mass.) finished with 10 digs.
A bad set against the Leopards in the opening session resulted in a seven-point spurt for the Golden Bears, however, Wentworth rallied back with a pair of kills from Meyers and sophomore Katelyn Carlson (Stratford, Conn.) to bring the visitors within four-points (7-3). A kill by Skibinski off the next serve jumpstarted an 8-1 run for Western New England, which pushed ahead for good, claiming a 25-11 first set victory.
An attack error early in the second set provided momentum for Wentworth, which pushed ahead, 10-5. Western New England countered with a 6-1 run, including five consecutive points off freshman Megan Canfield's (Ardsley, N.Y.) serves to even the set at 11-11. Both teams continued to swap points over the next few serves before Bailey's kill late in the frame pushed the visitors ahead, 21-20. Again, the Golden Bears responded, closing the session on a 5-2 run as a service ace by Skibinski secured a second set victory by a score of 25-23.
Western New England used a 12-5 run to commence the third set, initiated by a kill from Lathrop, but Wentworth closed the gap, pulling within four points (16-12) midway through the session following a kill by Bailey. Skibinski halted the comeback with a kill that pushed the hosts ahead, 20-12. Wentworth would close the gap with a pair of kills from Meyers, but the Golden Bears halted their opponent's rally with back-to-back kills by Lathrop to secure a third set victory of 25-15.
