Worcester, MA --- Tournament Most Outstanding Player Rachel Spera (North Hollywood, CA) handed out 68 assists – 34 in each game – to surpass 2,000 for her career and host Clark won both of its contests to lay claim to the 2013 Worcester City Volleyball Tournament on Saturday afternoon at the Kneller Gymnasium. Spera led the Cougars to 3-0 wins over both Worcester State and WPI to win their third city tournament title in the last four seasons.
In the semifinals, WPI fought off a hard-charging group of Hawks in the third set to take the second semifinal matchup, 3-0 (25-13, 25-14, 30-28). Cassandra Tomerlin (La Quinta, CaA) continued the impressive start to her collegiate career with a team-high 12 kills, while Sarah Cook (New Paltz, NY) added ten to help the WPI offensive attack. The two-headed setting monster of Caroline Meyer (Easton, MA) and Lucy Garvey (Westerly, RI) combined for 30 assists. Beth Stone (Norwich, CT) and Marissa Turner (Coventry, RI) each had five kills for Becker, who also got ten assists and six digs from Lauren Lavallee (Millbury, MA).
In the championship match, Clark got nine kills from Shannon Glass-Smythe (Albuquerque, NM) and seven apiece from both Anne Read (Arundel, ME) and Savonnah Rowe (New York, NY) in the three-set win (25-19, 28-26, 25-23) . Spera dished out 34 helpers to go along with six digs, while Mia Cattaneo (Santa Barbara, CaA) notched her fourth straight game with double digit digs with 13. WPI was paced by a match-high 12 kills from Maddy Werth (Bedford, MA), while Tomerlin and Kenzie Whalen (Hollis, NH) each added seven. Meyer racked up 26 assists and five digs.
Clark defeated Worcester State 25-22, 25-18, 25-21 in the other semifinal and WSU took the third place match against Becker by scores of 25-9, 25-15, 25-19.
WPI hosts Western New England at 7pm Tuesday in its home opener.
Release Courtesy Clark Sports Information
