LEWISTON, ME (September 27, 2024) -- The Tufts University volleyball team stayed unbeaten in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) action Friday night, shaking off host Bates College for a 3-1 league victory inside Alumni Gymnasium with scores of 25-11, 22-25, 25-12 and 25-18.
The Jumbos moved over .500 at 6-5 overall, while upping their mark to 3-0 in conference play.
Tufts continued to play strong net defense as it forced Bates (6-3, 2-1 NESCAC) into 31 attacking errors while hitting .225 for the match. The Jumbos outscored Bates 61-39 on the night, while holding a big 11-3 edge in blocks.
The first set was all Jumbos, as they tallied nine of the first 12 points to gain control of the stanza. Bates battled back to make it 17-10 late in the frame, but the Jumbos rattled off the final seven points of the frame to make it 1-0. Bates won the second set, but the Jumbos regained their lead with a big 25-12 win in the third set as Tufts forced the Bobcats into 12 errors.
In the fourth set, Bates jumped out to a 4-0 lead and led until back-to-back
Dylan Whisenant aces made it 13-11 for the Jumbos. The Bobcats would tie the set at 13, but five straight points by Tufts made it 18-13. Bates would make it 18-16 on a kill by Nora Gilmer, but three kills by Akpoigbe Akpevwe down the stretch sealed the win for the Jumbos.
Sophomore
Emma Heckman led the Jumbos with another double-digit kill performance, finishing with 11 kills on 24 attempts, hitting .375 with seven total blocks. Sophomore
Claire Castor added nine kills on .261 hitting, posting six digs, and graduate student
Christine Audette recorded five kills and four digs.
Sophomore
Rianna Liu had 25 assists and 11 digs, her sixth double-double of the season, while
Ellery Clark also finished with seven helpers, seven digs and three aces. Whisenant added three aces and five digs, and classmate
Matsa Shi recorded seven digs.
Ami Evans led Bates with eight kills, and Skye Higashihara totaled 20 assists and 10 digs.
Tufts will have a week off before traveling to Williams College Friday, October 4 at 7 p.m. in Williamstown, MA.
--JUMBOS--
