Box Score 
WILLIAMSTOWN – For the second time this week, the Tufts University volleyball team rallied from two sets down to force a fifth and final set only to have their hearts broken in a NESCAC loss at Williams College today.
The host Ephs went up 2-0 on 25-20 and 25-23 wins in the first two sets. Tufts rallied for 25-17 and 25-22 victories to even the score at 2-2. However, Williams (9-1, 3-1 NESCAC) was able to hold off the Jumbos (9-4, 3-2) in the final set 15-11. Tufts lost in five to Endicott College on Wednesday evening.
In the fifth set today, Williams got out to a 10-5 lead on a kill by Christina Conforti. The Jumbos fought back, scoring four straight on kills by Christine Audette and Rileigh Farragher and two Williams errors to make it 10-9. The Ephs won five of the final seven points though, led by three kills from Tazmin Appiah.
Tufts out-hit Williams overall with 64 kills and a .241percentage compared to 54 and .171 for the Ephs. However, the Ephs were strong defensively with 10 points on blocks. They also served nine aces and benefitted from 10 Jumbo service errors.
Cate Desler with a match-high 22 kills, Audette with 17 and Farragher at 12 led Tufts offensively. Maddie Yu (pictured), who had 31 assists, and Ariel Zedric (21) combined for 52 assists overall. Stephanie Lee recorded 22 digs and Desler contributed 16.
Appiah with 17 kills and eight block assists led the hosts to victory. Marit Hoyem added 11 kills and two solo blocks. Lauren Kauppila finished with 47 assists and 13 digs.
Williams pulled away from an 11-11 deadlock in the first set. Eight Tufts errors in the latter part of the set aided the Ephs' cause. A tight second set was 20-20 before Williams won it helped by kills from Conforti, Hoyem and an ace served by Alicia Blanco.
Tufts began its comeback by scoring seven of the first eight points in the third set. Desler had four kills during the run, including three in a row for a 7-1 Jumbo lead. Tufts was up as big as 15-4 before Williams closed the margin to 20-16, but that's as close as they would get.
The Jumbos again started strong in the fourth, leading 7-2. However, Williams was able to tie it at 13-13 and the match was tied again at 22-22. A pair of kills by Audette allowed Tufts to notch the final three points to even the match.
Tufts is off all week until hosting Coast Guard on Friday. Williams also plays next on Friday in a NESCAC match at Colby.
