MIDDLEBURY, VT (September 29, 2023) -- Host Middlebury College rallied from a late first-set deficit to take the opening set 25-23, using that momentum to pull away for a three-set sweep fo the Tufts University volleyball squad Friday evening in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play from Pepin Gymnasium. The Panthers topped Tufts with scores of 25-23, 25-15 and 25-19.
Tufts (6-5, 1-2 NESCAC) struggled to get things going offensively on Friday night, hitting .090 for the contest with 23 hitting errors. The first set close throughout though the Jumbos led by two late at 23-21 after a kill from
Rileigh Farragher. The Panthers would rally with four straight points to snatch the first set.
The Panthers (7-3, 3-1 NESCAC) used that rally as fuel to keep the momentum, leading the entire way through the second and third sets to clinch the conference victory. Farragher tallied 10 kills to lead the Jumbos, as she finished with double-digit kills for the fourth match this season.
Senior libero
Megan Harrison was very solid on the night, posting a huge career-high of 25 digs, which was nearly twice as many as her previous career-best of 13. Harrison also added six assists.
Senior
Brittany Bennet finished with eight kills on 21 attempts, hitting .286, while first-year
Emma Heckman tallied seven terminations along with two assisted blocks. Senior outside
Tori Goldin also registered 11 digs on the night.
Senior setter
Maddie Yu contributed a double-double of 10 digs and 19 assists. Tufts finished with 36 kills on the night, along with 70 digs which was a season-high for a three-set match.
Katie Kraczkowsky and Molly Harrison each tallied 11 kills to pace the Panthers, while Gabbie O'Toole added 31 assists and 11 digs in the win. Kelly Ferrero tied for the match-high with 25 digs on the night.
The Jumbos will have a quick turnaround as they have to travel farther West to Clinton, NY, taking on Hamilton College Saturday at 2 p.m. in another NESCAC match-up.
--JUMBOS--
