Anyone hoping to catch the end of the volleyball match after their 7:00-8:15 class missed quite a show.
Tipping off at 7 p.m., it took the Jumbos less than an hour to sweep Emerson, defending their home court with a 3-0 win against the non-conference Lions on Tuesday night. Some faces were new, as coach Cora Thompson took the chance to rest key players and infuse some new blood onto the hardwood, but the Jumbos didn't miss a beat, continuing the high-gear play that has won them 10 of their last 11 games and brought Tufts volleyball back to center stage in New England.
"We owned them," said junior libero Stephanie Viola, who had a team-leading seven digs in the match. "The big thing was that we kept our tempo up the entire time, which is huge for us. That's something we've been working on all season, to play a consistent high-paced game, and that's something we finally did."
Emerson, a school known more for its communications and arts programs than for formidable athletics, entered Cousens Gym at 4-4. The Jumbos were soaring from a weekend that included a win over MIT and the Jumbo Invitational title, and avoiding a trap-game loss was a top priority for Thompson.
"In the end, when you're playing a team that is weaker, there are expectations that still hold," Thompson said. "One of the things that helps going into every match is to have goals, and regardless of who we're playing, we're striving to reach those goals. We wanted to keep our tempo up, which we did a great job of last night in all three games."
While the weekend win over regional powerhouse and long-time rival MIT raised the Jumbos' confidence level, it also raised expectations.
"Going from one of the best teams in the region, like MIT, to arguably one of the weakest is tough to do, and I think the girls did just a fantastic job last night with the job in front of them," Thompson said. "We don't want to play down to a team's level."
The lower stakes allowed Thompson to change things up on the court, resting the team's statistical leaders and getting game experience for some newer faces. While junior Katie Wysham was one familiar face on the floor, leading the Jumbos with 12 kills, senior co-captain Kelli Harrison spent the night on the sidelines, and sophomore Stacy Filocco, nursing a slightly strained back, played in only one of the three games.
"Switching lineups is a great opportunity to measure where we're at, but those players are still held to those same expectations [as starters]," Thompson said. "It's also a chance to give players some experience in different positions that they might not otherwise see time at."
Senior Dana Fleischer and sophomore Caitlin Dealy, who have spent much of the season on the bench with injuries, got some court time on Tuesday and delivered in limited playing appearance. Fleischer had six kills, second-best on the team, and six digs, while Dealy converted on all three of her kill attempts.
"[Fleischer and Dealy have] both been passing and hitting in practice, but haven't done anything on net," Thompson said. "Seeing them out there, I think it kind of fired up the team on what could have been a dull night."
Dealy has been fighting a rotator cuff injury and took the court for the first time this season on Tuesday night.
"I'm not really able to swing, so I'm basically playing defense right now," she said. "But I was able to get to the front for a couple of points, and it felt good to contribute to the team."
While the win has few implications for regional rankings and carries no weight in the NESCAC standings, it highlighted the team's mental focus and provided an extra push as the Jumbos head towards a critical weekend of conference play.
That big weekend includes two NESCAC match-ups against Amherst and Middlebury. The Jumbos will play Saturday at Amherst against the 13-1 Lord Jeffs before heading to Vermont to take on the Panthers, who are 8-4 this year, but who Thompson believes are dangerous and underrated.
"These [matches] are bigger than average, for sure," Thompson said. "We love playing Amherst. They're a tough team, and they always play their best game against us. We need to make a statement the minute we get there and ride it all the way to end.
"And Middlebury is going to be tough as well," she continued. "In any given year, they can be really, really good, and we can't take them lightly."
The Jumbos have lost only once since Sept. 15, a 3-1 loss to MIT that they redeemed this past weekend with a resounding win over the Engineers. Finally, after a shaky 3-3 start to the season, Tufts is playing like a regional heavyweight, and there is an unmistakable air of confidence throughout the roster.
"At this point, we're a top team in New England, and teams are going to pick up level of play against us," Thompson said. "If you beat Tufts, it means something.
"The confidence coming off of the MIT win is great," she added. "I'm looking forward to proving that it wasn't a fluke, that this team is for real. We're going to be challenging anyone to beat us."
