Smith Records Career High 18 Kills in 3-1 Win at WPI

WELLESLEY, Mass. --  Junior TylerBell Smith (Frisco, Texas) recorded a career-high 18 kills in a 3-1 (25-20, 19-25, 25-20, 25-20) win in the final regular season match of the year at WPI.

The Blue finish the 2021 season at 9-11 overall and 4-6 in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play. WPI finished at an impressive 17-7 overall, but 3-7 in the NEWMAC. 

Smith posted 18 kills on a .448 kill percentage and added four blocks and two service aces. Senior Nicole Doerges (San Marino, Calif.) added a double-double with 21 kills and 10 digs. Classmate Tiffany Shou (San Jose, Calif.) tallied four kills, eight digs, and two blocks in the contest. Izzy Seebold fell just one assist shy of 40 and added five digs. Claire Bialek (Brookline, Mass.) and Mikayla Tansil (Warren, Mich.) each recorde four service aces.

For the Engineers, graduate student Amanda Wetmore (Hudson, N.H.) led with a team-high 14 kills and nine digs. Also in double figures was Maddie Sanborn (Londonderry, N.H.) with 12 total kills. Jia Yazon (South Windsor, Conn.) also posted nine digs and setter Catherine Reynolds (Concord, N.H.) finished with 30 assists.

Wellesley took command early in the first set, after a service ace by Doerges made the score 11-7. The Blue continued to hold the lead until WPI rallied and converted a 3-0 run to make it 20-19. Smith then earned three kills out of the final five points for Wellesley who went on to take set one by a score of 25-20. The Engineers came out blazing in the second set, going ahead 11-2 after a kill by Natalia Wierzbicki (Wareham, Mass.). Wellesley clawed back and a Shou service ace cut it to just a two point game in the middle of the set. However, WPI followed with a 5-0 run and eventually went on to even the match at one game a piece.

With the third set tied at 7-7, the Blue went on to score the next eight out of ten points and force WPI to use a timeout. Doerges and Smith each recorded two kills during the run. Trailing by seven late in the set, WPI would spark a 3-0 run but its effort was too late as the Blue came away 25-20. Wellesley jumped out ahead in the fourth set 9-4. The Engineers fought back to make it a 14-13 game after a service ace. Seebold followed with a clutch kill and gave the momentum right back to Wellesley. For the third time of the day, Wellesley went on to win the set by a score of 25-20 and eventually came away with the 3-1 victory.