Tomorrow and Saturday, the volleyball team will travel to Middlebury College to play its final three NESCAC games against Hamilton, Middlebury and Williams.
Going into the weekend, four teams are within one game of the NESCAC lead. At the end of the weekend, one team will stand on top.
With an 8-0 conference record, the Williams Ephs stand atop the NESCAC standings, just ahead of Tufts (7-0), Middlebury (7-1) and Amherst (6-1).
The 24-4 Jumbos, having already defeated Amherst 3-2 on Oct. 16 at Amherst, will have the chance to knock Middlebury and Williams from contention in head-to-head match-ups.
Tufts is confident about its chances.
"I think we absolutely have the capability to beat these teams," sophomore Kelli Harrison said. "Our performance in the Springfield game [in the third round of the Hall of Fame Classic] proved we know how to go out and leave everything on the court."
To keep their perfect conference record, the Jumbos will have to defeat Williams who, at 25-3 is ranked number one in New England. The Ephs, winners of the last three NESCAC Champion-ships, defeated the Jumbos last Saturday 3-0 in the Hall of Fame Classic Final.
Coach Cora Thompson has preached the importance of not losing confidence due to the loss to Williams.
"We came, we saw and we learned what we need to going into next weekend's matches," Thompson said.
The Jumbos learned that their match with Williams will certainly be a tough test.
"They are an experienced team that has been to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament the last two years," Thompson said. "They have experience on their side, and along with that comes confidence. Short of the experience, we have the confidence in ourselves and are excited to prove that we can beat them and be the next team to win the NESCAC."
According to Thompson, Williams has tremendous height, athleticism and ball handling. The Jumbos will have to contend with 6'2" senior middle blocker Joyia Chadwick. Chadwick, an All America selection the past two years, is averaging 3.75 kills per game.
The Ephs also have last year's NESCAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in senior Robin Young, as well as a setter who could cause problems in junior Alexis Knepp.
"They've got a very smart setter who we're going to have to watch because she is very tricky," freshman Stephanie Viola said.
Before having to deal with these problems, the Jumbos will have to face Hamilton and Middlebury. Although Hamilton has not won a conference game this year, the Jumbos are still focused on this match.
"They're our first match of the weekend and we need to come out strong and get our momentum for the rest of the weekend," Harrison said.
The Jumbos hope this momentum will lead them to a victory over Middlebury the next day.
"[Middlebury] has been ranked pretty high in New England," Harrison said. "They've played some tough teams, taken games from tough teams and beaten tough teams, but they've also lost to some weaker ones."
While Middlebury is 19-9 overall, it has lost to Skidmore and Brandeis, two teams that Tufts beat earlier in the season.
The players would love to defeat all three teams this weekend and earn home-court advantage because of the recognition it would give their program.
"I think it'd be great," Harrison said. "It would bring some recognition to Tufts volleyball to win the NESCAC and host the tournament."
The tournament will take place on Nov. 12 and 13. The winner of the NESCAC Tournament receives an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Even if the Jumbos can't win the NESCAC tournament, Thompson believes the team still has a chance to earn an at-large bid for the NCAA tournament. The national tournament awards one bid for the New England region.
"We have proved that our conference is the strongest with NESCAC teams always being in the top of the New England polls and tournament finals," Thompson said. "Hopefully the NCAA Committee will recognize Tufts as the next strongest team out of the region for the tournament. [But] hopefully, we won't have to rely on that and we will just win NESCAC."
Before considering these things, however, the Jumbos must take care of business this weekend.
