Molina, Hawes, Long, & Scott Record Double Digit Kills in CCC Quarterfinal Upset Win over Wentworth

BOSTON, Mass. (November 1, 2022) – The Western New England women's volleyball team knocked out the #3 seed Wentworth Institute of Technology Leopards in the CCC quarterfinals after five sets, winning 3-2 to advance to the semifinals. 

Records:

• No. 6 Western New England: 17-12
• No. 3 Wentworth Institute: 15-10

How It Happened:

The Golden Bears scored four in a row to open the contest after the Leopards got on the board scored first. An attacking error gave Wentworth their second point of the set but another three in a row for WNE put the Golden Beaes ahead 7-2. Wentworth worked their way into a tie score at 9-9 until Western New England's Alissa Hawes and Sarah Scott contributed for another run of four to put WNE ahead 13-9. The two teams battled, scoring back-and-forth, and then another four straight from the Golden Bears gave WNE a lead of nearly double-digits. Another attacking error gave away another point to the Leopards that was followed by two kills from WNE's Liz Long and Yemayma Molina to now be ahead 22-12. The Leopards made a run towards the end as the Golden Bears finished out the first set with a win 25-16.

Set two was a closer battle with each team gaining a score after the other. After six lead changes, WNE put up an impressive eight to zero run to take a 14-8 lead. The Golden Bears maintained the lead for the rest of the set. The Leopards got another score due to a service error, but an attack error gave the ball back to the Golden Bears. Scoring went back-and-forth like the beginning of the set. WNE already with a lead, finished the set ahead of the Leopards after two kills by Taylor Geist and wrapped up the second set winning 25-20, taking a 2-0 lead over Wentworth, one set away from heading to the CCC Semifinals.

The Leopards got on the scoreboard first again in set three, and the Golden Bears tied it up and picked up a 5-2 lead due to two service aces from Long and a kill from Hawes. Again, Wentworth tied the set up 8-8, and the Golden Bears had another two kills and two ace series for a 12-8 lead. Instead of the Golden Bears maintaining the lead this time, the Leopards forced another tie game at 12-12. The set was tied eight more times after that forcing the decision to come down to the wire with the Golden Bears already at match-point. The Leopards took a two-point advantage over WNE at 22-20 and ended up forcing a fourth set to win set three 25-22. 

Wentworth still with the momentum of the last set, got off to a 2-0 start in set four. The Golden Bears evened it up, and it again became a very well fought out match. The Leopards forced a two-point lead, and then WNE would come back and go up two points. The Golden Bears worked their way ahead of the Leopards and had built up a three-point lead at 17-14. Two kills and an attack error for the Leopards had the set back tied. The Golden Bears would go ahead one, and the Leopards would tie. Three in a row late in set four put Wentworth back on top and in control of set four. WIT would complete the comeback, winning set four 25-22.

The Leopards scored first in every set of the match, and the fifth was no different. Molina started the scoring for WNE with a kill. Wentworth got off to a 7-2 start against Western New England, though the Golden Bears would fight back, looking to punch a ticket into their second straight CCC Semifinals. Two kills from Scott and one from Hawes left WNE trailing by one and a service error put Wentworth back ahead two, 9-7. Scott had a phenomenal run at serving that gave the Golden Bears a very big lead. The CCC kills leader had one kill and three aces to put the score at 13-9 in the final set-in favor of WNE. Only needing two more points to win the game, the Leopards forced a one-point game,  but Hawes closed out the quarterfinal round with two kills to win the game for the Golden Bears 15-13 after five sets. 

Inside the Numbers:

• The Golden Bears concluded the match with 62 kills, 57 assists, 86 digs, and one block while hitting .190 percent.
• The Leopards ended the match with 49 kills, 46 assists, 83 digs, and three blocks, while hitting .131 percent
• The Golden Bears were lead in kills by Yemayma Molina who had 16 with two blocking assists. 
• Sarah Scott led WNE with 15 kills, 16 digs, five serving aces, and two blocking assists. 
• Alissa Hawes contributed with 14 kills, 15 digs, and three blocking assists.
• Taylor Geist led WNE in assists with 51 while Becca Mayer added 28 digs

Up Next: 

• The Golden Bears advance to the CCC semifinal round on Thursday, November 3 against the number two seeded Gulls of Endicott College.