Women's Volleyball Edged at Simmons in Season Opener

BOSTON, Mass. – In a back-and-forth affair, the Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team dropped its season opener, falling at Simmons, 3-2.

RECORDS:

• Wentworth (0-1)
• Simmons (1-0)

WENTWORTH STAT LEADERS:

• Kills – Helen Barthe, 10; Ema Thompson, 9; Riley Waggoner, 5; Vivian Goulet, 5
• Assists – Ashley Cao, 16; Lexi Zabloudil, 8
• Aces – Ashley Cao, 9; Helen Barthe, 4
• Digs – Lexi Zabloudil, 16; Helen Barthe, 14; Shelby Seage, 13
• Blocks – Vivian Goulet, 3; Riley Schoonmaker, 3

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Sophomore Ashley Cao (Morrisville, N.C.) picked up the first point of the night, when she served an ace, however, Simmons went on a 4-1 spurt and took a 4-2 lead on a junior Jayla Purnell (Oregon City, Ore.). A kill from sophomore Helen Barthe (Blythewood, S.C.) and a setting error tied the set at 4-all and the Leopards tied the set at 5-all after a Sharks attack error. The hosts used a 5-1 run to take 10-6 lead before the Black & Gold used a 6-2 run of their own to tie the set at 12-all on a Barthe kill. Simmons scored five of the next six points, taking the lead for good at 17-13. Wentworth pulled within a pair at 23-21, however, would get no closer.
• After falling behind to open the second set, 8-6, Wentworth went on an 8-1 run, taking a 14-9 lead after a Simmons service error. Despite the Sharks scoring the next two points, the Leopards upped its lead to 19-13, thanks to a kill from sophomore Ema Thompson (Lewiston, Idaho). Four straight Simmons points brought the Sharks to within a pair before freshman Shannon Raftery (Cumberland, R.I.) put down a kill to make it 20-17. The Sharks responded with three of the next four points to come within one and force Wentworth to take a time out. Out of the time out, senior Riley Waggoner (Simi Valley, Calif.) recorded a kill, making it 22-20. Three straight points – with two coming on service aces – gave the hosts a 23-22 lead but Waggoner ended the streak with a kill to tie the set at 23-all. A setting error gave the Black & Gold match point where Thompson recorded a kill to even the match at 1-all.
• Simmons pulled together a rally to take a 2-1 lead with a 27-25 win in the third set. The set started out all Wentworth, as the Leopards raced out to a 10-2 lead. Cao served an ace to make it 12-3 before the Sharks used a 6-1 run to pull within four at 13-9. A Barthe kill started a 4-1 spurt, making it 17-10 when sophomore Lexi Zabloudil (London, Ohio) served an ace. An ace from Barthe made it 19-13, however, the hosts went on an 11-3 run and had match point at 24-22. A kill from Barthe and an error knotted the score at 24-all and the Leopards staved off set point at 25-24, however, the Sharks got back-to-back kills to take the win.
• The Leopards fell behind, 4-1, to open the fourth set before a service error, an ace from Barthe, and an attack error evened the score at 4-all. Wentworth fought through a pair of ties, including when a kill from freshman Riley Schoonmaker (Montgomery, N.Y.) evened the score at 6-all and started a 5-0 run which included three aces and a kill from Cao. Schoonmaker put a kill down to push the score to 15-7, giving the Leopards their largest lead of the set. The Leopards matched their largest lead after an attack error made it 20-12 before Simmons rolled five of the next seven points to trim the lead to 22-17. Senior Vivian Goulet (North Kingstown, R.I.) recorded a kill to end the Sharks' spurt and made it 23-17. A kill off a long rally from Thompson gave Wentworth set point at 24-18. Simmons scored the next two points to make it 24-20 but an attack error gave Wentworth the 25-20 win, forcing the deciding set.
• In the deciding set, Wentworth jumped out to a 7-2 lead, capped off by Barthe's second ace of the early going. The Leopards led, 12-7, after a Schoonmaker kill, however, Simmons went on a 7-2 run to tie the set at 14-all. The teams were tied at 16 and 17-all before the hosts took an 18-17 lead, giving them their second straight match point. Junior Claire Conners (Albany, Calif.) recorded her second straight kill, giving the Sharks a 19-17 win in the set and the match by a 3-2 decision.

THE SERIES:

• Tonight was 23rd known all-time meeting between the two teams. Simmons leads, 15-8, and has won the last three matches.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth is at Lasell on Tuesday night.

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