MEDFORD, MA (September 26, 2025) -- The Tufts University volleyball team did just enough Friday night to extend its win streak to nine matches, knocking off visiting Bates College 3-1 in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play from Cousens Gymnasium.
The Jumbos fought off the Bobcats to take a 25-23, 16-25, 25-15 and 25-19 win in league play despite not playing their best. Tufts committed 30 hitting errors, the second-most this season, while adding six service errors but were able to put away 57 kills to clean up the hitting mistakes.
Tufts got another strong performance by
Rianna Liu at setter, as the junior had her fifth double-double of the year with a team-high 28 assists while adding 10 digs and three aces including the match-clincher. Junior classmate
Claire Castor also added a double-double with 11 kills, 12 digs and four service aces in the win. Junior
Emma Heckman's 16 kills and .306 hitting clip led the way for all hitters on Friday night, while
Maiwenn Kamdje powered down 12 terminations on 24 attempts.
Matsa Shi led the Jumbos with 14 digs, and first-year
Amanda Freehill added seven digs and was strong in reception as well.
Sophomore
Keller Mobley also added five kills and five digs for Tufts, who hit .185 for the night.
In the first set, Tufts and Bates were tied at 23 late in the stanza but Castor put Tufts up 24-23 and then clinched the set with a block alongside
Julia Griffiths to put the Jumbos up 1-0.
After Bates took set two in decided fashion, the Jumbos were able to rattle off a set three victory thanks to a crucial 4-1 run at 10-10. A termination from
Celina Savage made it 12-11, starting a three-point run that put the Jumbos up for good. Tufts was able to tally six in a row down the stretch, with the last two points of the third set coming on aces by Castor to push Tufts ahead 2-1 in the match.
The fourth set saw the Jumbos defensive unit take over, holding Bates (6-3, 1-2 NESCAC) to just six kills in the frame while hammering down 15 of their own to pick up their ninth consecutive victory.
The nine straight wins is the longest since a nine-match win streak back in 2021 for Tufts. The Jumbos have now won 23 straight over Bates, dating back to 2004.
Sofia Castiglioni had a stellar night for Bates, posting 13 kills on 24 swings out of the middle, while adding two aces and eight total blocks. Lauren Croom also had 30 assists, while Ellie Asada tallied a match-best 15 digs.
The Jumbos will put their win streak up against its stiffest test this season Saturday afternoon in Middletown, CT, as Tufts takes on No. 6 Johns Hopkins University at Wesleyan University at 2:30 p.m.
--JUMBOS--
