MEDFORD, MA (October 18, 2024) -- The Tufts University volleyball team battled back from a 2-1 deficit after three sets to send the match to five sets with No. 23 Colby College, but the Mules were able to pull away late in the fifth set to earn a hard-fought 3-2 win over the Jumbos in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play from Cousens Gym Friday evening for Senior Night.
Tufts fell to 9-8 overall and 6-2 in the conference, while Colby upped its record to 18-1 and 7-0 in the NESCAC. The Jumbos still were able to clinch a NESCAC Tournament spot on Friday evening, and will be able to clinch a home match in the NESCAC Tournament quarterfinals with a win Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. against Bowdoin College.
In the opening set, Tufts led by as many as three midway through the frame at 18-15 after a service error by the Mules. Colby would score the next four points to take a 19-18 edge, and after
Alina Qi posted a kill to tie the set at 19, Colby tallied another 4-0 run to take control of the set. Tufts didn't go away, pulling to within one at 24-23 on an ace by
Rianna Liu but Sarah Friedrichs of Colby tallied a kill on the next point to clinch the set for the visitors.
In the second, the Jumbos led for the majority of the set but a late 4-0 run by Colby made it 21-21 after a kill by LJ Grant. Colby regained the lead at 23-22, but Tufts rattled off the final three points of the second frame highlighted by an ace by Liu to tie the match at a set apiece. Tufts posted 14 kills in the second frame, while holding Colby to just eight terminations.
The Jumbos led late in the third frame at 20-17 after a kill by Heckman, but the Mules rattled off six straight to make it 23-20 after a block by Cyanne Jones.
Emma Norman came into the match to tally back-to-back kills to bring Tufts to within one at 23-22, but Colby was able to clinch the set on a pair of errors by the Jumbos.
Tufts didn't quit though as it used a 9-3 run through the middle of the set to take a commanding lead. Colby clawed back into the set to get to within two at 22-20 but
Claire Castor tallied two straight kills before an attack error by the Mules to send the match to a fifth set.
The fifth set was nip-and-tuck through the first 15 points, as Colby led 8-6 at the change over after an ace by Jordan Lee. Tufts tied the score at 9-9 after a Mules' attacking error, but the visitors would got on a 6-1 run to clinch the victory to stay undefeated in the NESCAC.
Castor finished the match with 12 kills and 13 digs to another double-double, her fourth of the season and the third consecutive. Junior Julia Griffith was fantastic Friday night, posting 11 kills on 20 attempts, hitting .550 to go with five assisted blocks. Qi celebrated her Senior Night with eight kills on 15 attempts, hitting .467 with two assisted blocks, and sophomore
Emma Heckman added eight kills and three assisted blocks. Graduate student
Christine Audette finished with seven kills and 14 digs, and
Maiwenn Kamdje also added seven kills.
Liu had a strong night with 19 assists, two aces and 17 digs, while first-year setter
Ellery Clark also registered a career-high 24 helpers. First-year
Dylan Whisenant also recorded a new personal-best 28 digs to go with her two aces.
Tufts hit .155 for the night, posting 62 kills on 193 attempts, as the Jumbos held a 62-51 edge in kills but Colby chalked up 17 total blocks and 11 service aces to aid in the win. Grant led Colby with 13 kills and 19 digs, while Brady Moseley also had 12 terminations and 14 digs.
Tufts will Play For Pink on Saturday against Bowdoin College at 3 p.m. in Cousens Gym.
--JUMBOS--
