The volleyball team exhibited improved play and a strong work ethic at the MIT
tournament this weekend, carrying the team to the tournament's final match.
Although the Jumbos eventually fell to the Engineers 3-1, losing to MIT for the second time this year, the team's level of play improved from its NESCAC games last weekend, and seems to indicate that the team is moving in a positive direction.
Prior to playing MIT, the Jumbos defeated Emmanuel 3-0 and Smith 3-1 to reach the championship bracket. The Jumbos then beat Vassar 3-0, setting up the final match against MIT.
"I think that we wanted to increase the level of our play each and every time out," coach Cora Thompson said. "Starting with our first match, we continued to increase our play and tempo. It's one of those weekends where we needed to earn every one of our points."
MIT has traditionally been one of Tufts' biggest rivals in New England, and every meeting between the two teams has an added edge. The excitement level was even higher than usual Saturday, as the teams were playing for bragging rights in the Engineers' own tournament.
On this particular day, MIT had the edge. The Engineers won in four games (30-13, 19-30, 30-20, 30-27), instead of the three it took them last time to beat Tufts on Sept. 9. The Jumbos showed much more fight in this match-up, and it showed in the final game. Despite the loss, the Jumbos reeled of six consecutive points before eventually succumbing to the Engineers.
Senior co-captain Kelli Harrison, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, led the way offensively for the Jumbos with 12 kills. She also contributed defensively with 18 digs, second only to sophomore Natalie Goldstein's 19. Junior Katie Wysham led the Jumbos serving, generating three aces, while helping upfront with four blocks.
"They're definitely a good team," Harrison said of the Engineers. "They were in their own gym, and it was good practice to play against such a good team. They're one of the best teams in New England this year."
Vassar, another one of the tournament's strongest teams, entered the weekend at 12-1, but the Jumbos dispatched them quickly and relatively effortlessly, 3-0 (30-21, 30-18, 30-25). Harrison dominated offensively and defensively for the Jumbos, with 12 kills and 21 digs. She was followed by sophomore Stacy Filocco, who had eight kills and 11 digs of her own.
The Jumbos' path to the championship bracket included a 3-1 win over Smith (30-18, 28-30, 30-26, 30-26) in front of a loud and boisterous crowd at Cousens Gymnasium. The Jumbos dominated the first game before starting the second game with some sloppy and inconsistent play. The Pioneers took advantage, winning the second game to tie it up and challenging in the next two. Several tremendous digs and a lot of hustle helped the Jumbos, as they stopped Smith's momentum in the final two games of the match.
"I think defensively, the Smith game was one of the best games we played yet-we refused to lose," Thompson said. "Kelly Harrison and Natalie Goldstein had some incredible defensive plays. It was a gutsy performance, and I loved it."
Harrison once again led Tufts offensively, contributing 22 of the Jumbos' 61 kills, with three coming on aces. Also contributing to the Tufts offensive effort were Wysham, with 16 kills and two aces, and Filocco, with 12 kills and two aces. Setter Kaitlin O'Reilly, who had 51 assists, helped develop Tufts' offensive attack as well.
Tufts' first game of the tournament was against Emmanuel, with the Jumbos winning with ease, 3-0 (30-19, 30-21, 30-27). In what seemed to be one of the underlying themes of this tournament, Harrison led Tufts again in kills with 15, followed by Filocco with 12. O'Reilly led the team in assists as usual, with 22, and also led the squad in service aces with four. Tufts only had three service errors through the entire match, a welcome change from the matches of the previous weekend and a big factor in the easy victory.
The Jumbos are off this week and will not hit the court until this weekend with the Jumbo Invitational next Friday and Saturday.
MIT is one of the many heavyweights attending that tournament, so a third match-up with the Engineers this year, and an opportunity for Tufts to exact some revenge, may be in order. And Thompson, for one, has nothing but confidence in her young team.
"We are going to be a top team in New England, and it's just a matter of time," she said.
