WORCESTER, Mass. – After defeating Becker College in the semifinals, the Lancers fell to WPI in the championship game 3-0 as the Engineers captured their ninth all-time Worcester City Volleyball Tournament Title.
The Engineers defeated Nichols 3-0 (25-7, 25-15, 25-14) in the opening round of the 32nd annual event while also registering a 3-0 victory (25-15, 25-23, 25-20) over Worcester State in the title tilt. The Lancers advanced to the championship game with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-23) semifinal victory over Becker, which defeat Nichols by a 3-0 count (27-25, 25-20, 25-15) in the consolation match.
SEMIFINAL GAME: Worcester State 3, Becker College 0
The Lancers reached the finals with a balanced hitting attack in their victory over Becker. Quinn Donovan (Marion, Mass.) recorded a team-best seven kills with Stephanie Chapin (Hampden, Mass.) and Emily Carens (Northboro, Mass.) both tallying six and Sarah Powers (Hopkinton, Mass.) finishing with five. Alexandra Nolan (Melrose, Mass.) paced all players in the semifinal round with 14 assists and six aces and six digs, while Megan Leavens (West Boylston, Mass.) ended with 11 digs. Charlene Landry (Gorham, Me.) and Marissa Turner (Coventry, R.I.) both nailed four kills for the Hawks, who got three aces from Kayla Dupree (North Bergen, N.J.) and five assists and five digs from Morgan Gould (North Attleboro, Mass.).
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: WPI 3, Worcester State 0
In the championship match versus Worcester State, Maddy Werth (Epping, N.H.) smoked eight kills with Casey Hunt (Granby, MA) chipping in with seven and Kat Hurlock (Burlington Conn.) and Sandra Durate (Valencia, Calif.) adding six apiece. Azita Bakhtyari (Andover, Mass.) (19) and Shay Feeley (Franklin, Mass.) (15) combined for 34 assists while Hunt and Cassandrea Tomerlin (La Quinta, Calif.) both dugout 14 balls. Nolan accounted for 22 of the Lancers' 25 assists while Katrina Kangwijaya (Dunstable, Mass.) posted a match-best 19 digs and Powers and Chapin shared team-high honors with six kills each.
The title was the ninth in program history for WPI, tying the Engineers for second all-time with Division II Assumption and just two behind all-time leader Clark. The three schools have combined for 29 of the 32 championships with Holy Cross (2) and Worcester State accounting for the other three crowns.
WPI (3-0) is back in action Tuesday at 7pm at Anna Maria. Worcester State (1-1) entertains UMass Dartmouth Wednesday in its home opener at 7pm while Becker (1-1) heads to Dean the same day and Nichols ventures to Mass Maritime on Thursday.
All-Tournament Team
Azita Bakhtyari (WPI), MVP
Sandra Durate (WPI)
Katrina Kanwijaya (Worcester State)
Emily Carens (Worcester State)
Brittney Bullis (Becker)
J'ena Baker (Nichols)
Release Courtesy of WPI Athletics