MEDFORD, MA (October 4, 2025) -- The No. 25 Tufts University volleyball squad saw its 10-match winning streak snapped Friday evening to Williams College in five sets, but bounced back well with a 3-0 win over Middlebury College in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) action from Cousens Gym Saturday.
Tufts (12-2, 4-1 NESCAC) won with scores of 25-15, 25-23 and 25-17.
The Jumbos were firing on all cylinders offensively on Saturday, hitting .330 as a squad against the Panthers (11-5, 4-1 NESCAC). The hitting percentage was a season-high for the Jumbos, while the 46 kills in a three-set win were the most three-set victory since posting 46 against Wesleyan University last November.
Leading the way was the 15 kills for junior
Emma Heckman, who finished with a .583 hitting percentage for the match. Heckman added three assisted blocks and seven digs.
Junior
Claire Castor posted 10 kills and 10 digs for another double-double, while passing well on 16 attempts. Senior middle
Julia Griffiths had four kills and four blocks, while junior
Akpevwe Akpoigbe pounded down seven kills to go with seven digs and three blocks.
Sophomore
Maiwenn Kamdje had six kills as well on 13 attempts, while
Lola Tortorello had 22 assists and six digs. Sophomore
Ellery Clark had 17 assists and four digs for the Jumbos as well.
In the opening set, Tufts controlled the service game with three aces while Heckman tallied five kills on seven attempts in the first frame to put the Jumbos ahead early.
The second set was the closest of the match, featuring 12 tie scores and four lead changes. Tufts and Middlebury were tied at 23 by Castor pounded down a kill before Griffiths ended the set with a termination to put the Jumbos up two sets.
In the third, Tufts took an early 6-1 lead and never trailed in the set as it hit .560 in the frame to earn the victory.
Molly Harrison had 10 kills to pace the Panthers, while Annabella Rando had seven digs and three aces.
Tufts will be back in action on Friday, October 10 at 6 p.m., hosting Trinity College for Senior Day in Cousens Gymnasium.
--JUMBOS--
