Wellesley Volleyball Sweeps Tri-Match at WPI

WORCESTER, Mass. — The Wellesley College volleyball team swept a tri-match at WPI, topping the host Engineers, 3-0 in a NEWMAC clash, and then defeating Westfield State, 3-0, on Saturday. The result improves Wellesley to 9-5 overall, 2-2 in the NEWMAC. 

Wellesley picked up the WPI sweep using set scores of 25-21, 25-20, and 25-18 to take the early match. In the afternoon, the Blue grabbed the sweep over Westfield State with set scores of 25-19, 25-16, and 25-21. 

Against WPI, senior Sydney Carfagno racked up 19 kills with just three errors, while also tying a team-high of nine digs. Senior Caitlin Laughlin added 12 kills, while junior Courtney Lang contributed with five kills and nine digs. Sophomore Maddie Koh picked up 34 assists and three aces in the match, while first-year Katie Yan tallied nine digs. 

Wellesley hit .271 as a team against WPI, including going .324 and .370 in the first two sets. The Blue held WPI to a team hitting percentage of just .130 in the sweep. Wellesley opened the WPI match with an early 12-3 lead that included a long serving run from first-year Alina Mota, highlighted by a pair of Carfagno kills. WPI crept back into the match, cutting the Blue lead to 22-21, but Wellesley got kills from Carfagno, Laughlin, and Lang to close out the first set. 

In set two, WPI held an early edge, holding the lead until Wellesley tied things at 15-15 on a Lang kill. From that point on, the Blue surged forward, ending the set on a WPI service error, making it 25-20. Set three featured a Wellesley lead from start to finish, as the Blue closed out the match with a 25-18 set win.

Against Westfield State, Wellesley had just three errors in the opening set en route to the 25-19 victory. The first stanza was close throughout, with Wellesley holding a slim 20-19 edge late. From that point on, the Blue used a 5-0 run on the arm of Carfagno to close out the set at 25-19, ending it on an ace. 

Wellesley didn't trail in the second set, leading from whistle to whistle en route to the 25-16 win. The Blue hit .312 in the set, to open a 2-0 match lead. Wellesley then closed out the win with a taking a tight set three victory. The teams match stayed within three points most of the way, with Wellesley holding a 21-19 advantage late. The Blue then got kills from Laughlin and Carfagno down the stretch to finish out the Owls, 25-21. 

The Blue are back in action on Tuesday, hosting Mount Holyoke at 7:00pm in a NEWMAC clash at Wellesley.