After a demoralizing loss to MIT in its final regular season match up, the Tufts' volleyball team heads into the NESCAC Tournament at 16-16. After a promising 8-4 start, the Jumbos faced tougher competition after the first two weeks and ended the season at .500. Tufts fell to the Engineers in three straight games on Thursday.
During the Thursday's match, when every player on the team was used, coach Kris Talon's squad post only 18 points in three matches. In the first match of the evening, the Jumbos lost 5-15, but they fought back in the second match, losing by a 12-15 margin. In the third and final match though, MIT swept the floor with the Brown and Blue winning the game 15-1.
Despite the team's difficulty on the offensive end, freshman Amy Cronin launched her way to a .500 attacking percentage (seven kills with only one attacking error). Her counterparts, the "Killer S's," had off days. Jessica Stewart smashed over seven kills, but she also committed six attacking errors, which dragged down her attacking average to a dismal .042. Tri-captain Karen "Bear" Sillers crushed six kills and made three attacking errors, decreasing her uncharacteristically low attacking average to .158.
Serving, which has hindered the Jumbos this entire season, was average. Tri-captain Kyre Austin led the team with one service ace. Tufts posted a combined service percent of .850 on the day, which falls below the year average of .905.
Defensively, the team was not much sounder. "Bear" dominated the defense with eight digs, and Megan Pitcavage helped out as well with six digs of her own. There were only four blocks on the day (Pitcavage, Danielle Cafasso, Lis Drake, Lindsey Moses).
Team members hope to put the game behind them and instead focus on the NESCAC Tournament, which will be held at Bowdoin. "No matter who is on the other side of the net," Tri-captain Nancy Phear said, "we want to play the best we can on our side. If we do, we'll be unstoppable."
"We will open the tournament against Bowdoin which is a last place team," Talon said. " With a win against them, we would play Amherst, who we have lost to twice over this season. But, whoever wins that game, will head to NCAA playoffs."
