THE BASICS 

Score: Emerson 3, WPI 0

Records: Emerson Lions (5-3, 1-1 NEWMAC) ; WPI Engineers (8-2, 0-2 NEWMAC)

Location: Boston, Mass. (Brown & Plofker Gym)

Date: September 18, 2021

The Lead: Behind an 11-kill day from junior Logan Steenbergen and 29 assists from freshman Rachel Scott, the Emerson women's volleyball team took down the visiting WPI Engineers in straight sets and notched their first NEWMAC win of the season on Saturday afternoon at Brown & Plofker Gym. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

EMERSON

Steenbergen: 11 kills
Scott: 29 assists
Caroline Davis: four aces & 17 digs 

WPI

Amanda Wetmore: nine kills
Catherine Reynolds: 15 assists
Alexandra Spezzano, Reynolds & Natalie Wierzbicki: one ace
Paige Garland: seven digs 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• At a 4-4 lock to begin the first frame, Emerson propelled themselves with a comfortable seven-point cushion all in thanks to a string of seven consecutive points (11-4). WPI was able to pull within four (12-8), but the Lions continued to hold strong to a seven-point advantage. 
• A run of four points, highlighted by a kill, ace and several attack errors, Emerson bumped its lead into double figures at 21-11 with WPI adding one more point. Four swings from junior Jillian Kay and freshmen Brooke Maynez and Parker Cummings iced the 25-21 first set win. 
• Like the first frame, Emerson jumped out to the fast 4-1 lead before WPI evened the score at 4-all on a trio of kills from Wetmore before they evened the score yet again at 5-all on an Emerson serving error. 
• Emerson kept WPI at bay as the Engineers crept within one at 10-9, which was the closest the visitors would come for the reminder of the set. The Lions began to pull away on a 7-0 streak where the hosts capitalized on defensive mishaps by the Engineers (17-9). 
• With Emerson's lead sitting at nine, WPI earned two points back (19-12), but it was Emerson again who took off as they registered the second set's final six points for the 25-12 win. 
• After a kill from Steenbergen, the Lions surrendered the lead for the first time on back-to-back serving mishaps an attack error by the hosts as the Engineers jumped and stayed ahead on 8-2 run (13-8). The four point deficit was the largest WPI held all match. 
• Down five at 17-12, Emerson showed they were not letting up. The Lions began to claw their way back into the set and pulled within reach at one on a 6-3 streak. 20-18 was the last time WPI held a lead over Emerson as the Lions caught momentum and reclaimed the advantage.
• Started off by a swing by Maynez, the hosts recorded the set's five points to go up three (23-20) and hold on for the 25-21 win as a kill from freshman Amelia Combs sealed the sweep.

UP NEXT 

• Emerson will venture up to Rivier for a non-league match on Tuesday, September 21st with the first serve set for 7:00 p.m.