SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Led by a pair of strong performances from sophomore Carly Skibinski (Milford, N.J.) and senior Olivia Lathrop (Farmington, Conn.), the Western New England University volleyball team rolled to a 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-19) victory over visiting Curry College this evening in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action at the Alumni Healthful Living Center.
Skibinski posted a .400 hitting percentage with a team-high 11 kills and three block assists, while Lathrop added ten kills (.471) with two blocks (one solo) and two digs as Western New England improved to 11-12 (4-3 CCC). Curry closes out its season at 10-14 overall and 2-6 in conference play.
Juniors Jessica Sincero (Verplanck, N.Y.) and Jenna Leuck (Dumont, N.J.) split the setting duties tonight, dishing out 17 and 16 assists, respectively, while also combining for six digs. Sophomore outside hitter Alona Kornberg (Fair Lawn, N.J.) finished with seven kills, two aces, two block assists and two digs, and freshman Jenna Ferguson (Ellington, Conn.) chipped in with six kills for the Golden Bears.
Curry was led by freshman outside hitter Grace Stafford (West Yarmouth, Mass.), who recorded a team-high eight kills to go with four digs and two blocks. Junior setter Makayla Hughes (Franklin, N.H.) handed out a match-best 18 assists, and sophomore libero Courtney Carroll (Fairhaven, Mass.) paced the Colonels' defensive effort with seven digs.
Western New England turned in a .250 hitting percentage in the opening set compared to Curry's .040 mark, posting a four-point win to claim a 1-0 lead in the match. The Colonels held a two-point edge midway through the frame (17-15) following a kill by Stafford, but a 7-0 run aided by five Curry errors allowed the Golden Bears to take control (22-17). The Colonels cut their deficit to three on three occasions the rest of the way, before a kill from Kornberg ended the set.
Curry again had control late in the second set, leading 20-17, but was not able to hold on as Western New England fought back to take a 2-0 lead in the match. A 4-0 run, powered by a pair of kills and a block from Skibinski, gave the Golden Bears a 21-20 edge. The Colonels evened the score at 21, before Skibinski, Ferguson Lathrop reeled off three straight kills to bring Western New England within a point of taking the set. After a Golden Bear attack error kept Curry's hopes alive, freshman Cheyenne Garcia (Dover, N.H.) registered a kill to end the frame.
Western New England posted a match-best .308 hitting percentage in the third set, holding the Colonels off for a six-point win to close out the match. The Golden Bears took control early, leading 11-4 with the help of two kills each from Lathrop and Skibinski. Western New England would eventually extend its advantage to ten (18-8), which would come in handy as a late charge pulled the visitors back to within four (23-19). Consecutive kills by freshman Jessica Witkowski (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) and Garcia ended Curry's comeback bid, however, as the Golden Bears completed the sweep. (Recap courtesy of WNE Sports Information)
