Kelli Harrison, volleyball
Kelli Harrison had a pretty good weekend.
The senior co-captain led the volleyball team to a 3-1 record in the MIT Invitational this weekend, headlining the offensive stat book in every match. Her 61 total kills included some monster shots, her 59 digs were crucial on the defensive side, and several big plays from Harrison kept the Jumbos in close matches. Harrison was rewarded with All-Tournament honors thanks to her stellar play on both offense and defense.
Harrison has been the Jumbos' go-to player in the past two seasons, despite missing much of last season due to injury. She is in the top three on the team in kills per game, digs per game, serving aces, and hitting percentage. Her 4.28 kills per game are testament to the power in her windup, and her .268 kill percentage and backs up what anyone who has seen her play already knows--when Harrison winds up, you'd better watch out.
Brendan Georges, football
Rusty? Hardly.
Despite not playing a single down last season, junior running back Brendan Georges turned in a stellar performance in the Jumbos season opener against Hamilton on Saturday, rushing for 138 yards on just 15 carries and scoring one of Tufts' two touchdowns in the team's 17-0 win.
Georges, one of the team's leading rushers as a freshman in 2004, sat out last season due to health issues. His return to the Jumbos came late in the first quarter, as he got his first carry of the game, a five-yard run, early in the second Tufts drive of the game. From that point on, he was unstoppable, as the junior rushed for double-digit gains four times and averaged 9.2 yards a carry.
Georges' shining moment came in the fourth quarter, as the Jumbos looked to pad their 10-0 lead. After a Hamilton punt, Tufts took over at its own 21-yard line with 7:32 remaining in the game. Georges ensured that the Jumbo drive would be a quick one, and he took matters into his own hands in a hurry. On the first play of the drive, he ran for 11 yards and a quick first down, and on the second, he took off down the right side of the field, dashing 68 yards untouched for the touchdown. The Jumbos extended their lead to 17-0 and wouldn't look back.
