Looking back (September 18) | Volleyball vs. Wesleyan
After a five-match road trip to open the season, it was finally time last Friday for the Tufts volleyball team to return home.
Only when the Jumbos arrived it was not the familiar hardwood of the antiquated and charming Cousens Gym of years past that greeted them. Instead, when the Jumbos played host to NESCAC foe Wesleyan, they were standing within the new and improved Cousens facility, which was heavily renovated during the offseason.
Wanting to do the new court justice, and not to mention build on the four-match winning steak it already had going, Tufts was all over the Cardinals from the start. With 25-19 and 25-15 wins, the Jumbos found themselves up two sets rather quickly before Wesleyan was able to climb back from a six-point deficit in the third to grab the set 26-24 and avoid a sweep.
Undaunted, the Jumbos battled through a close fourth set and, after securing a 20-16 lead thanks to a three-point run, went on to take the set 25-21 and christen their new home court with a win.
In doing so, the Jumbos opened their NESCAC play on a strong note, and they only added to the good mood with a 3-0 win over Conn. College the following day, improving their conference record to 2-0.
Though Tufts' 2009 schedule is road-heavy, the new but familiar Cousens Gym setting could prove a key factor later in the year if the Jumbos are able to clinch the NESCAC regular season title — as they did last year with a perfect 10-0 record — and host the conference tournament for the second straight season.
Looking ahead (September 27) | New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons
Coming off a 16-9 upset at the hands of the New York Jets this past Sunday, the New England Patriots (1-1) are looking to right the ship at home against the undefeated Atlanta Falcons (2-0), while trying to avoid losing two games in a row for the first time since Nov. 12, 2006.
But the task will not be easy. The Falcons are tied for fifth in overall defense so far this season, and the Patriots, much to their dismay, weren't even able to score a touchdown last week in the Meadowlands. The two stats make Atlanta look like the favorite, but the Falcons know that the 1-2 punch of Tom Brady to Randy Moss that was so explosive in 2007 is just waiting to reignite. The humiliation of losing to the Jets could provide that spark for New England.
But the matchup at Gillette Stadium will also be a momentous one for second year quarterback Matt Ryan, who will be playing his first football game in New England since his glory days at Boston College. Ryan has started this season right where he left off in his highly-successful rookie campaign, already racking up a passer rating of 108.5, completing 43 of 63 attempts for 449 yards, five touchdowns and only one interception in the two games this season. With Ryan and newly-acquired tight end Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta boasts a prolific offensive attack, one that could be particularly potent against a New England team that has had major problems rushing the passer this season.
