Box Score
MEDFORD - The Tufts women's volleyball team broke a 1-1 tie with a decisive 25-13 win in the third set and went on to a 3-1 victory over Amherst College in a NESCAC match on Saturday afternoon at Cousens Gym. Sophomore Kelly Brennan (Burr Ridge, IL) led the hosts with 16 kills, while sophomore Jess Ingrum (Highlands Ranch, CO) finished with 15.
The Jumbos won by match scores of 25-21, 23-25, 25-13, and 25-21 to improve to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in the league. Amherst, paced by 13 kills from senior co-captain Emily Waterhouse (Los Angeles, CA), took its second loss in as many days to drop to 3-2 and 0-2 NESCAC.
Tufts surged to an 8-3 lead in the first set and held off Amherst. The Lord Jeffs got within 13-11, but the Jumbos responded with the next five points for an 18-11 lead. Senior tri-captain Natalie Bruck (Inverness, IL) and sophomore Rebecca Rubin (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY) both had five digs in the set for Tufts, while sophomore Isabel Kuhel (Brisbane, CA) recorded five kills. Waterhouse put down five kills for Amherst.
The Lord Jeffs prevailed in a tight second set. Leading 23-22, they were able to secure the victory on a Tufts attack error and a kill by senior co-captain Abigail Hunter (Kentfield, CA). Sophomore Lauren Antion (Los Angeles, CA) recorded three kills, four digs, and three block assists in the set for the visitors. Tufts senior tri-captain Kendall Lord (LaJolla, CA) had six digs and two service aces.
In the critical third set, Tufts busted open a slim 9-8 advantage by out-scoring Amherst 16-5 the rest of the way. Brennan led Tufts with six kills and five digs in the set, while Ingrum added five kills. Antion was solid again for the Lord Jeffs, accumulating three kills and four digs in the third set.
The Jumbos pulled away to lead 21-14 in the fourth and final set and were able to maintain an advantage to finish off the victory. Tufts first-year Carolina Berger (Fort Lauderdale, FL) was strong defensively in the set with six digs, while sophomores Kuhel and Juliana Goodbar (Berkeley, CA) had two solo blocks and a block assist each in the fourth. Senior Kristin Keeno (Honolulu, HI) posted five digs for Amherst.
Brennan added 11 digs to her offensive output in the match for Tufts, while Kuhel finished with 10 kills and six blocks (three solos). Lord averaged nearly 10 assists per set to go with two aces, 12 digs and three blocks (one solo). Berger had 14 digs, Bruck 13 and Goodbar was in on five blocks (three solos). Rubin served three aces.
Antion's 12 kills, 10 digs, and four block assists helped the Lord Jeffs. Keeno finished the match with 15 digs.
Tufts (4-2, 1-1 NESCAC) next hosts Newbury in the MIT Invitational at Cousens next Friday (Sept. 21) at 4 pm. Amherst (3-2, 0-2 NESCAC) plays at Johnson & Wales Tuesday at 7 pm.
Match statistics
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