WATERVILLE, ME (October 6, 2023) -- The Tufts University volleyball team took a 2-1 set lead into the fourth stanza but couldn't hold off the host Mules of Colby College as the Jumbos dropped a five-set heartbreaker up in Maine with scores of 22-25, 29-27, 23-25, 25-19 and 15-4.
The contest was as close as it gets featuring 23 tie scores and 11 lead changes through the five sets. In the opening set, Tufts (6-7, 1-4 NESCAC) led for the early part of the set until Colby rattled off five straight to take a 12-10 lead.
The Mules led by three at 16-13 but Tufts scored seven of the next eight points to regain a three-point lead at 20-17 after a block by senior
Cora Cunningham. Colby (9-5, 4-2 NESCAC) posted three straight points after a timeout, but the Jumbos answered that with a 4-0 run including a kill and ace from Cunningham to take a 24-20 edge. Two points later, first-year
Emma Heckman hammered a kill to clinch the set for Tufts.
In the second set, Tufts led by as much as six at 11-5 after a kill from senior
Tori Goldin and held a 20-16 advantage after another kill from Goldin. Colby started a run from that saw each team rattle off 3-0 runs to make the score 23-22 in favor of the Jumbos. Tufts had four set points but couldn't put it away as the hosts evened the match at a set apiece.
Tufts would post its own rally in the third set, as it trailed 19-14 before chalking up five in a row to deadlock the set at 19. The Jumbos took the lead for good at 23-22, clinching the set with a kill from
Rileigh Farragher.
The fourth and fifth sets though would be all Colby, as the hosts rallied for the NESCAC victory. Senior
Megan Harrison continued her fantastic play of late, as she tallied 32 digs in the match, a new personal-best. It was the most digs in a match for a Jumbo player since Kelly Klimo also registered 32 against Bates College November 3, 2017. Harrison also tallied three aces.
Senior
Maddie Yu posted her third double-double of the season with 21 assists and 17 digs, while
Tori Goldin also collected a double-double with a team-high 13 kills while adding 10 digs. Farragher finished with nine terminations and two solo blocks, Heckman tallied 10 kills and two solo rejections. Cunningham also pounded down eight terminations.
Zoe Gregory finished with 16 assists
The Jumbos got 200 attempts attacking on the night and finished with 53 kills.
Moseley Brady tallied a match-high 20 kills, while Emma Davis also finished with 10 kills in the win.
The Jumbos will take on Bates College Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. in more NESCAC play in Lewiston, Maine.
--JUMBOS--
