CAMBRIDGE -- The Tufts University volleyball team became the
third team in the history of the MIT Women's Volleyball
Invitational to be crowned champions three years in a row following
a 25-16, 25-21, 25-21 victory over Wellesley College on Saturday.
Tufts swept Williams College, 25-14, 25-19, 25-15, last year's
runner-up, to advance to the title match while Wellesley defeated
Springfield College, 19-25, 29-27, 25-22, 25-23, en route to its
first championship match appearance since 1999.
The two victories over traditional New England powers gave Coach
Cora Thompson's Jumbos 10 straight wins overall. Tufts has not lost
since opening night on September 10 and stands at 10-2 overall.
Senior Caitlin
Updike (Manhattan Beach, CA) earned MVP honors for the
tournament, capping her weekend with 14 kills against Williams and
11 more versus Wellesley to lead Tufts. Senior Nancy
Shrodes' (Manhattan Beach, CA) seven kills in the Wellesley
match was the second best number of the day for the Jumbos.
Sophomore setter Kendall
Lord (LaJolla, CA) has settled right in following the
graduation of All-American Dena Feiger. Lord earned All-Tournament
recognition at MIT and had a combined 51 assists in the six games
against Williams and Wellesley.
The Jumbos' service game also got them points. Three aces apiece
in the Williams match by Updike and junior Cara
Spieler (Santa Barbara, CA), and then three by junior Lexi
Nicholas (San Diego, CA) against Wellesley were the
leaders.
Lord, Nicholas, sophomore Kiersten
Ellefsen (Goshen, NY), and Spieler blocked Wellesley well.
Lord, the 5'10" setter, had seven block assists for the Jumbos
versus the Blue.
Tufts continues to run up against New England's best when it
travels to UMass Boston for its next match on Tuesday night.
Williams Match Statistics
Wellesley Match Statistics
#
