After a sweeping its first three matches at Cost Guard on Sept. 8, the women's volleyball team suffered its first loss at Amherst last Friday in the first of a four game NESCAC weekend. Following its initial loss to the host team on Friday, the team rebounded to win its next three matches improving its overall record to 6-1.
The squad started the weekend on a sour note, but quickly picked themselves up from Friday night's 0-3 loss to Amherst by conquering Middlebury 3-0 to finish the first day of competition.
On Saturday, the team had a new determination and took down both of its opponents. Williams put up a fight taking the match to five games before falling by a 3-2 margin, while Hamilton had no bite and was easily swept by the Brown and Blue (3-0).
"There was stiff competition this year," coach Kris Talon said. "Amherst won the NESCAC tourney last season and had most of their big guns back so we knew they were going to be good. Middlebury was third in conference last year but had lost their two best players, so they were a question mark, but a solid program. Hamilton is historically weak. Williams we beat in NESCACs last season but is always tough and has three very good freshman."
Amherst, a team that beat Tufts twice during the 2000 campaign, struck again as the Jumbos dropped the match in three straight games (24-30, 12-30, 12-30). The defense seemed to be on target, but the hitting faltered.
Senior tri-captain Jessica Stewart managed to knock down 11 kills, but offset that with six attacking errors, which lowered her attacking average for the season to .236. The defense was led by tri-captain Megan Pitcavage and freshman Emily Macy, who recorded 24 digs combined.
"Nothing was going well," sophomore Lindsey Moses said. "Our hitting was just not coming together."
"We always expect to win," Talon said. "But odds were pointing toward Amherst because they are the top team and we played them first. We did not play well against them and it showed in the scores. Those scores indicate a smoking."
Fortunately for the Jumbos, Middlebury couldn't get anything going against them on Saturday and fell in three games (30-12, 30-22, 30-19). The hitting, serving, and blocking all seemed to improve following the Amherst debacle.
The trio of Stewart, Macy, and Pitcavage rallied together for 31 kills in the front row with only nine attacking errors. The defense was anchored sophomore Amy Cronin who led with 14 digs in addition to two blocks at net.
"We really dominated Middlebury physically and emotionally," Talon said. "Their defense could not compete with our offense."
Stewart played her best match of the weekend with 5.67 kills/game (total of 17 kills against only five errors for a .353 hit percentage) while all four primary attackers (Cronin, Macy, Pitcavage and Stewart) had a hit percentage over .210.
In Tufts' face off against Williams, the Jumbos were forced into a five game match for only the second time this season. The Jumbos captured the first game, 30-22, but lost the next two (24-20 and 20-30). But Tufts eventually prevailed, winning both the fourth and fifth matches (30-16 and 15-11). Stewart once again seemed to lead the team in this contest, despite the fact that not all of her stats were impressive (17 kills, 11 attacking errors, 18 digs).
Defensively, junior Paulette Pacheco held strong with 14 digs, while freshman Carie Fowler aided the front row defense with three blocks at net.
"We knew we wanted to beat Williams," Cronin said. "We needed to redeem ourselves from the Amherst match, so we got our offense down and played well as a team."
The Hamilton match - the final contest of the weekend - offered every member of the team a chance to play. Talon used the match against the week Hamilton squad to empty almost her entire bench - eleven out of twelve eligible players saw game time.
The Jumbos took the match with the help of their young blood, sweeping the contest in three games (30-14, 30-28, 31-29). The duo of freshmen Macy and Ali Sauer combined for 27 kills, 16 digs, and four services aces while Pitcavage and Pacheco had nine digs each.
"We played well as a team," Sauer said. "I felt really comfortable on the court because everyone worked together. The captains aren't overpowering at all on the court. The [seniors] are just other players on the team - teammates."
The Jumbos resume non-conference play tomorrow at Emmanuel College at 7 p.m.
