The women's volleyball team just keeps on rolling, finishing this weekend with two more crucial NESCAC victories to ensure a top two finish in the conference and match the squad's longest winning streak of the season.
Unlike most of the wins in the eight−game run, the games this weekend were extremely competitive and hard−fought. In fact, the Jumbos lost more sets in two days than they had over the previous two weeks, a span of six matches. The Saturday game against Trinity was a perfect example of grinding out a victory against a tough opponent, as Tufts put some of its best attributes on display.
The match started out with two strong set wins for the Jumbos, as Tufts' relentless attack put the Bantams on their heels while the Jumbos boasted 24 kills over the two frames. However, Trinity showed its mettle when it stormed back in the third set, going on a 9−6 run to force a fourth frame.
That fourth set would turn out to be one of the most frustrating of the year for the Jumbos, who held a lead for most of the set, yet couldn't finish it off. After a key kill by Trinity sophomore Hannah Brickley, the Bantams went on a 7−1 run to steal the set 25−21 and push the game to a decisive fifth frame.
"They have a scrappy team," junior setter Kendall Lord said. "They have a different style of playing than our own, a style that relies a lot on defense, so we just had to focus on winning the game mentally."
While the Bantams' comeback in the fourth set might have pushed the momentum to their side, the Jumbos rebounded strongly, jumping out to a 6−0 lead in the fifth set.
Then, with Tufts up 14−5 and one point away from a key victory, Trinity rallied again, scoring six straight points to bring themselves to within four points of an implausible comeback. But Tufts finally managed the point it needed, sealing the key victory and moving the Jumbos to 17−3 on the season.
"Coach [Cora Thompson] got us all together and helped us see that we had lost our focus," senior tri−captain Lexi Nicholas said of the fifth−set battle. "I think the team appreciated it and we were able to complete the turnaround and get the victory."
Tufts had four players with at least 12 kills, while Brickley had 23 kills for Trinity. Lord had a typically outstanding performance with 54 kills and 18 digs, while senior libero Audrey Kuan boasted 29 digs. Kuan is also the executive online editor of the Tufts Daily.
It was somewhat smoother sailing on Friday for Tufts, as the squad took on Wesleyan, a team that has just one conference win. However, after jumping out to a one−set lead with a 25−14 victory, Tufts stumbled in the second frame and allowed the Cardinals to get back into the match. Wesleyan took the second set 25−23.
"We actually weren't playing that well in the first part of the match," Lord said. "We needed people to come off the bench and turn the game around."
In the end, the Jumbos would not be denied, as Thompson used 13 players — the most of any match this season — and Tufts brushed back the Cardinals' assault and won the next two sets 25−10 and 25−18. The Jumbos got strong performances from freshman Rebecca Rubin, who had seven digs, and junior Kiersten Ellefsen, who had eight kills and no service errors on 17 attempts.
"It really just shows what a deep bench we have, and that everyone can step up," Nicholas said. "It was great to see that even the people who haven't played much this year were ready to go and played really well when they got the chance."
Tufts will look to make it nine wins in a row at Endicott on Wednesday before playing three games in the Hall of Fame Tournament at Mt. Holyoke and Smith over the weekend. Meanwhile, with just one NESCAC game remaining — on Oct. 28 at Conn. College — the squad will need a little help to catch undefeated Bowdoin in the conference standings.
"We are just going to keep working on our mental game," Nicholas said. "I think that we've shown that we have to ability to play at a high level, so it's just a matter of putting it all together."
The Jumbos have the bigger picture in mind.
"Every time we touch the ball is an opportunity to improve," Lord added. "We just want to keep playing our best and get ready for the NESCACs, Regionals and then hopefully NCAAs."
