Box Score
|
| Alex Garrett helped the Jumbos defensively with 16 digs against Endicott. |
MEDFORD – Senior Maddie Kuppe turned in 14 kills and 16 digs to lead the Tufts volleyball team to a 3-1 win over visiting Endicott College on Wednesday night in Cousens Gym. The match was the first of a busy week for the Jumbos, who will host Bates on Friday night, and then face off with Colby an Brandeis on Saturday to celebrate Homecoming weekend at Tufts.
The Jumbos move to 10-4 overall and 2-2 in NESCAC play, while the Gulls are now 12-7 overall with a 2-1 mark in conference play.
The Jumbos jumped out to an early lead in the first set, and kept it for the duration of the set. Though the gulls would come close, and even tie the set at eight, the Jumbos scored four points behind the serve of sophomore Alex Garrett, taking back the lead they kept for the rest of the set and eventually winning, 25-18.
The Gulls responded in the second set and picked up the win. The match was tied at six before the Gulls scored four points behind the serve of Tori McIntyre, with the help of some Jumbos errors, to take a 10-6 lead. They would never trail after that, growing their lead to as much as eight, and moving to the 25-19 win.
Garrett opened up serving in the third set, and a bad set by Endicott along with three Garrett aces gave the Jumbos an early 4-0 lead. The Jumbos held that lead for the rest of the set, eventually scoring five points behind the serve of junior Elizabeth Ahrens to bring the set to 24-13 . A kill by sophomore Anique Barch secured the 25-13 win to give the Jumbos the 2-1 advantage.
The fourth set was dominated by the Jumbos as the Gulls were only able to score more than one consecutive point in the match once. The Jumbos won the set, 25-14.
For Tufts, Kuppe was the leader with the 14 kills, while rookie MacKenzie Bright turned in nine kills and Ahrens finished with eight kills. Defensively, Garrett matched Kuppe's dig number with 16 and senior Kyra Baum added 14 digs of her own to the effort. Baum and first-year Angela Yu ran the offense for the Jumbos, finishing with 19 and 18 assists, respectively. Ahrens also had three service aces and three blocks in the win.
For the Gulls, it was McIntyre that was the offensive leader with nine kills, while Lexi Watts, Lauren Sheehan and Jayla Brennen all added four kills to the effort. Cydney Pierce led the defensive efforts with 16 digs, and Lilly Benabou and McIntyre both added ten digs. Alleigh VandeMerkt and Mareena Clotfelter split the setting duties, finishing with 14 and 12 assists, respectively.
The Gulls will take the courts again this weekend when they host the Endicott Invitational. They open play on Friday with a 6 pm duel with Colby-Sawyer. The Jumbos host Bates on Friday night in Cousens Gym with a 7 pm scheduled start.
#
