Box Score
MEDFORD – The Tufts volleyball team closed out play in the New England Challenge Saturday afternoon, falling to local-rival Babson, 3-1. The Jumbos opened up tournament play with a win over Wellesley on Friday night and then fell to MIT earlier on Saturday.
The Jumbos dropped the first two sets 25-18 before taking the third set 25-23. But, the Beavers pulled out a 25-20 win in the fourth set to take a 3-1 win over the Jumbos. With the loss the Jumbos move to 16-6 on the year while Babson is now 21-8.
The Beavers jumped out to a lead in the first set with five consecutive points behind the serve of Mary Donahue. After the Jumbos came back to tie things at nine, the Beavers took another lead that they were able to keep for the duration of the first set.
The Beavers also took an early lead in the second set. But, this time the Jumbos couldn't come back and trailed the rest of the set. Tufts answered back in the third set, scoring five points behind the serve of sophomore Alex Garrett, to take a 5-1 lead early. The Beavers would come back and tie things at nine and then again at ten. But, the Jumbos were then able to score five more straight points behind Garrett's serve, which included two service aces, to take a lead they would hold on to for the rest of the third set.
The Beavers came out on fire in the fourth set, taking a lead right from the start and at one point leading by as many as 11 (23-12). The Jumbos tried to make a comeback, scoring seven points behind the serve of senior Kyra Baum to bring the score to 23-19. But, a Jumbo error and a kill by Jenny Karnes gave the Beaver the win in set four and the match.
Senior Maddie Kuppe was the offensive leader for the Jumbos, finishing with 11 kills, while junior Elizabeth Ahrens added nine of her own. Rookie Angela Yu took care of most of the setting, finishing with 32 assists while Baum turned in eight. Defensively, senior co-captain Carolina Berger was the leader with 17 digs, while Baum and Yu both added ten each and Kuppe and Garrett finished with nine each. Junior McKenzie Humann had four block assists, while Ahrens, Kuppe and senior co-captain Esme Nulan all finished with three block assists.
For Babson, Lorraine Mackiewicz finished with 14 kills while Jenny Karnes added ten of her own. Angela Price and Krissy Robertson ran the offense, both finishing with 19 assists each. Elizabeth Sullivan was the defensive leader with 21 digs. Gizem Yilmaz was a force at the net, turning in eight block assists.
Babson takes the court again on Tuesday when they host Wheaton for a 7 pm start time. The Jumbos will be back in action on Friday night when they resume NESCAC play with an 8 pm start time at Hamilton.
