MEDFORD, MA (September 21, 2023) -- The No. 22 Tufts University volleyball trailed early in the opening set, but visiting University of California at Santa Cruz rallied to gain momentum, riding that wave to a 3-0 win over the Jumbos in the first of three matches this weekend for Tufts in Cousens Gymnasium in non-conference play. UCSC won with scores of 25-19, 25-20 and 25-18.
Tufts (4-4) started quick and led by seven points in the first set after a kill from junior
Alina Qi, but the Banana Slugs (11-5) rattled off seven of the next eight points to pull to within one at 14-13. After three straight points from the Jumbos, UCSC recorded the next nine points to take a 22-17 lead after a kill from Peyton Tazelaar. Tufts narrowed its deficit to four after a kill from
Megan Harrison, but a kill and ace for the Banana Slugs gave them the first set.
The second set was close through the middle part of the stanza, as
Rileigh Farragher powered home a kill to make it 16-15 UCSC. Santa Cruz would post five of the next six points to take a 21-16 edge in the second period, but Tufts came back to make it 21-18 after a block by
Akpevwe Akpoigbe. Tufts kept it at a three-point deficit but an ace by Sydney Ahrendt and a kill from Tazelaar doubled the Banana Slug edge to 2-0 in the match.
Another set of runs was the story in the third set, as Tufts started fast and led 5-2 after a block from Qi and first-year
Emma Heckman. UCSC rallied back with five straight points to take a 7-5 edge. The Banana Slugs would hold the lead the rest of the way, closing out the match on a kill from Ashley Magley.
Heckman posted seven kills on 14 attempts, hitting .357 for the match while adding two assisted blocks. Fellow newcomer
Claire Castor tallied seven kills and two digs, while senior
Tori Goldin finished with seven terminations and six digs. Senior
Maddie Yu finished one dig shy of a double-double with 13 helpers and nine digs, and first-year setter
Rianna Liu also posted nine kills and six defensive saves. Senior libero
Megan Harrison also registered nine digs and six assists for Tufts, which posted 35 kills but also committed 20 errors to hit .126 for the match.
Tazelaar logged a match-best 12 kills for the Banana Slugs, while Emily Pasion had a match-high 19 digs. Sydney May also handed out a match-high 19 assists, while recording eight digs as well in the victory for Santa Cruz.
The Jumbos will continue their busy weekend with another non-conference bout Friday night in Cousens Gymnasium, hosting Rochester Institute of Technology at 5 p.m. as the second of three matches in three straight days for Tufts.
--JUMBOS--
