MEDFORD, MA (September 18, 2026) -- The No. 17 Tufts University women's volleyball squad battled back from a two-set deficit to force a deciding fifth set, but the Jumbos couldn't hold off visiting Williams College in falling 3-2 in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) opener for both teams inside Cousens Gymnasium.

The Ephs took the first two sets by identical 25-23 scores, while Tufts forced its way back into the match with a 25-21 third set victory and thrilling 26-24 win in the fourth to force the match to the fifth. The Ephs (6-2, 1-0 NESCAC) would pull away in the fifth for a 15-10 win to clinch the match. 

The Jumbos (4-4, 0-1 NESCAC) got a big night from senior Claire Castor, as she posted a career-high 26 kills which eclipsed her previous match-high of 20 against Hamilton College on September 20, 2024. The 26 kills are the most in a match for a NESCAC player since the 2024 season, while the kill total was the most for a Jumbo player since Kelly Harrison posted 29 against Penn State-Altoona on September 8, 2006. Castor added 13 digs for her big double-double, hitting a strong .440 for the night. 

Junior Maiwenn Kamdje finished with 12 kills while hitting .296 for the match, and senior Emma Heckman tallied 11 kills and four digs. Senior setter Rianna Liu finished with 29 assists and 14 digs for another double-double, her third of the campaign, while Ellery Clark also had 27 helpers and 13 digs for her third career double-double. First-year Tessa Fergusson had six kills and six blocks total, while Keller Mobley aded six kills and six digs. 

Junior Dylan Whisenant led all Jumbos with 20 digs for the day, while Becca DePencier Piñero was stellar as well with 11 digs and five assists. The Jumbos hit .188 for the match including over .200 for all four of the first four sets, but the fifth set the Jumbos posted six kills and eight errors as Williams was able to inch away. The most thrilling set was the fourth, as Tufts shook off four match points down 24-20 to tally the final six points in a 26-24 victory. 

Tufts outscored Williams 81-73 for the match, and hed a 70-52 edge in kills, 68-48 lead in assists and a 91-82 advantage in digs. 

Williams was led by the 14 kills from Chidimma Obi, with Keely Campuzano added 11 and Adalena Rodger finishing with 10. Eve Kaplan contributed 26 digs, and the block from Williams was strong as Elsa Miller, Lilly Fox and Chidimma combined for 12 team rejections. Morgan Daetz had 17 assists and 11 digs as well for Williams. 

The Jumbos will have no rest as they will travel to Waltham, MA Saturday to battle host Brandeis University and Endicott College in a tri-match starting at noon.