The volleyball team successfully defended its perfect record this weekend, improving to 8-0 and starting its 2008 NESCAC campaign with a pair of decisive wins over Bowdoin and Bates in Lewiston, Maine.
Playing the Saturday match against the Bowdoin Polar Bears at the Bates campus, the Jumbos surrendered the first set by a margin of 25-23 before quickly rebounding to sweep the next three sets by comfortable scores of 25-18, 25-16, 25-19. The win improved the squad's NESCAC record to 2-0, good enough to place them second in the standings behind Amherst (3-0).
"We are not rolling over all of our opponents," said senior tri-captain Natalie Goldstein, who notched 15 digs on defense in the game. "We had moments of brilliance, but we were not totally consistent. It is disappointing that they took a set from us."
"We made a lot of errors on our side [in the first] set, and it took us a little while to get going," coach Cora Thompson said in an e-mail to the Daily. "However, I was proud of how the team did come back to almost win that set and it goes to show that the competition is great in New England, and we can't afford to let teams get that far ahead of us in a set."
Sophomore Dawson Joyce-Mendive led the team, laying down 15 kills in the match for a hitting percentage of .324. Junior Brogie Helgeson joined her on offense, recording nine kills; junior setter Dena Feiger also recorded 36 assists.
"Our defense was really strong and didn't let any balls drop, which let me get a lot of assists," Feiger said. "Plus, our hitters were really on this weekend, knowing when to be smart and swing away."
The three senior tri-captains, Goldstein, Kate Denniston, and Stacy Filocco, all did their part to carry the defense, netting a combined 32 digs and three blocks. Freshman Cara Spieler was no less effective with 10 digs and three service aces, a testament to the team's depth.
"Our bench is so deep," Feiger said. "It does not make setting more difficult at all, as whoever is in does a good job. It is great having so many options because if someone is having an off day anyone else can just fill in."
In its match Friday, Tufts took on the host Bates Bobcats in its first conference match of the season, defeating them 25-17, 25-9, 22-25, 25-11. With the victory though, Tufts saw its streak of 20 consecutive set victories come to an end. Still, it was only the squad's second dropped set of the season and its first since the season opener.
"The defense was really good and Dena [Feiger] was setting awesomely," said sophomore Caitlin Updike, who led the team with 12 kills and a hitting percentage of .333 in the game. "It's much easier to get a hit when I don't have to focus on the ball being there."
Feiger contributed 34 assists to the offensive effort, as well as six digs to help out on defense. Good performances from the team's underclassmen seemed to be a theme in the match, as freshman Lexi Nicholas followed Updike with nine kills and two blocks.
"I did not really expect to play at all this year as a freshman," Nicholas said. "I think that it has really brought the team together that the underclassmen and all of the classes are contributing equally."
The team's bench continued to prove itself as a valuable asset, with 11 of 15 players seeing playing time.
"We will be able to put different lineups on the court depending on how we match up with other teams and/or if we need to give players a mental or physical rest," Thompson said.
"It is a huge advantage to have almost everyone play, especially with the upcoming weekend at MIT with four matches," Goldstein said. "It is really nice to have fresh bodies all the time, and it especially helps the defense, as the back is almost entirely defensive specialists."
The two weekend matches were nothing new to the Jumbos, who have played six of their eight games this season on the road. Tufts returns home Tuesday night when it hosts Brandeis at Cousens Gym and looks to maintain its undefeated record against the visiting Judges.
