Box Score 
MEDFORD - After losing the first two sets against Endicott College on Tuesday night, the Tufts University volleyball team stormed back and took the next two forcing a decisive fifth set. However, in a tightly-contested final set, the Gulls scored the last two points for an 18-16 win that gave them a 3-2 victory on the road at Cousens Gym.
Endicott (8-3) won the first two sets 25-23 and 25-22. Tufts (8-3) battled back with 25-19 and 25-21 victories in the third and fourth. In the fifth, Tufts staved off match point for Endicott twice before a kill by Riley Donahue and a Jumbo attack error won it for the Gulls.
Senior Cate Desler (pictured) was immense for the Jumbos, finishing with 22 kills and four errors on 46 swings for a .391 hitting percentage. She also recorded 14 digs and four blocks. She led Tufts to the fourth-set victory with three late kills assisted by Ariel Zedric.
Grace Legris added 12 kills and five blocks, while Rileigh Farragher posted 11 kills and five blocks for the Jumbos. Stephanie Lee notched 23 digs in the five sets. Zedric and Maddie Yu combined for 62 assists with 33 and 29, respectively.
Donahue led Endicott with 17 kills and added 11 digs. Amanda Gilbert's 15 digs went along with 12 kills. Colleen McAvoy posted nine kills and five blocks, and Lauren McGrath led the visitors with 16 digs.
One of four Desler kills in the third set finished it in favor of the Jumbos, who led from 4-3 on. The hosts also had four kills from Jennelle Yarwood in the third. The second set was tied 18-18 before a run of five straight on two kills by Gilbert and three Jumbo errors opened up some room for the Gulls to get the win. The opening set was 22-22 and kills by McAvoy and Donahue helped Endicott win out.
The Jumbos hit the road for NESCAC action this weekend at Hamilton College on Friday night and then at Williams College on Saturday. Endicott is at Colby-Sawyer next on Friday.
