CLINTON, NY (September 30, 2023) -- The visiting Tufts University volleyball squad led by a set after a 25-14 win in the third, but host Hamilton College rallied back to take a five-set win over the Jumbos in conference play from Margaret Bundy Scott Field House Saturday afternoon. The Jumbos were topped 25-22, 20-25, 14-25, 25-20 and 15-12.
At first glance, many of the stat totals favor the Jumbos as Tufts finished with 62 kills to just 47 from the Continentals while also adding a hitting percentage of .195 to the .120 of Hamilton. In the opening stanza, Hamilton charged out to as much as a eight-point lead at 22-14 after a block by Drew Stimson and Kate Carman. Junior
Alina Qi and first-year
Emma Heckman started a 8-1 run for the Jumbos with a block followed by three kills from senior
Rileigh Farragher to pull to within one at 23-22. The Continentals would take the final two points though as Elodie McGeiver posted a kill to clinch the opening set for the hosts.
The Jumbos rallied back to deadlock the match at a set apiece, but had to fight back in the second set after trailing until a kill by Qi put the Jumbos up 17-16. Summer McClintic tied the set at 17 for Hamiton, but back-to-back kills from Qi along with an assisted block by the Tufts middle made it 20-17. Tufts ended the set on a 4-1 run, pulling the match thanks to a kill from
Cora Cunningham.
The momentum would stay on the side of the Jumbos as they took a 3-2 lead and never trailed the rest of the third set as Tufts ripped 16 kills in the stanza to take a 2-1 lead in the match. In the fourth, Tufts led by as much as three at 14-11 after a finish from Cunningham, but Hamilton scored the set's next six points to take a 17-14 lead. The Jumbos would get to as close as 21-19 in the fourth set, but three consecutive points from the Continentals helped them pull the match even at two sets aside.
In the final set, Tufts scored three of the first four points capped by a block from Cunningham and first-year outside hitter
Abigail Gray. Hamilton wouldn't go away as it notched the next four points to take a 5-3 lead, followed by two straight by the Jumbos (6-6, 1-3 NESCAC) to even the set at five. The final stanza stayed close until Hamilton posted a 5-2 run to take a 13-10 lead, clinching the win on a kill from McClintic.
The Jumbos finished with a season-high four players with 10 or more kills, led by a career-high 13 from Qi as she hit .370 on the match with seven total blocks. Heckman also recorded a new personal-high for kills with 12, adding four blocks as well, and senior
Tori Goldin registered a double-double of 11 kills and 15 digs, a new personal best. Cunningham also finished with a new personal best hitting-wise, collecting 11 kills on 24 swings, adding five rejections.
Farragher finished with nine kills and six digs, four four blocks, and senior libero
Megan Harrison tallied 21 digs and three assists. Senior setter
Maddie Yu was one dig shy of a double-double with 28 assists and nine digs, while sophomore
Zoe Gregory also collected 21 assists and two aces. The 62 kills for the Jumbos on Saturday were 2023 season high as were the 14 total blocks.
McClintic finished with 17 kills and 14 digs in the win for the Continentals, and Carman added 13 kills and five digs. Melissa Morelli also had a double-double of 39 assists and 15 digs for Hamilton (6-5, 2-2 NESCAC).
The Jumbos will have a few days off before heading to Colby College Friday October 6 at 7 p.m. for a more NESCAC play.
--JUMBOS--
