In its hardest fought match of the season, the volleyball team rallied to erase a 2-0 deficit against Conn. College and take the final match of the MIT Invitational, winning the tournament and extending its perfect record to 13-0 overall and 3-0 in the NESCAC.
The Jumbos entered Saturday's finals never having won the MIT Invitational before; they lost to the Engineers in the finals last season. Early on, it looked as though the Jumbos' losing streak was to continue, as the Camels jumped to an early lead by scores of 25-20 and 25-21.
"They were the best team we've played thus far," senior tri-captain Natalie Goldstein said. "Although they are short overall, their outside hitters are powerful and smart. They would wail the ball off our blockers' hands and out of bounds. We had to adjust."
Notching 30 digs, Goldstein led the way in helping to shut down Connecticut's offense in the final three sets of the match. She was also named to the All-Tournament Team.
Continuing her season-long offensive blitz, sophomore Caitlin Updike posted 20 kills as well as 16 digs -- a performance that made her a lock for Tournament MVP -- to lead Tufts to the win by scores of 25-23, 28-26, and 16-14.
"We switched up the lineup to get different looks at them," Updike said. "Switching things up sometimes just works, and we have so many good players that every lineup will work."
Junior setter Dena Feiger ran the offense, notching 50 assists, as well as 10 digs in the match.
"Conn. College didn't make it [running the offense] more difficult," Feiger said. "We just [took] care of the work on our side, and we have a lot of great hitters that are able to get the job done on our end."
Tufts also witnessed major offensive production from sophomore Dawson Joyce-Mendive, who netted 18 kills.
Tufts' defense had its own list of contributors throughout the match, as senior Maya Ripecky added 20 digs to those posted by Goldstein, Updike and Feiger.
"We were able to win because our defense picks so many balls up and makes passes in the middle of rallies," Feiger said.
"Natalie played awesome and picked everyone up with her digs," Updike said. "Watching her play and how much she wanted it really got everyone else going when we were down 2-0."
The team's intensity was central to its late-match comeback, Goldstein said.
"We have a refuse-to-lose attitude that gave us a lot more confidence in the third, fourth and fifth sets," she said.
Earlier in the day, Tufts faced the Springfield Pride (12-2) in the semi-final match, winning in four sets by scores of 25-23, 17-25, 25-18 and 25-12. Leading the way offensively once again were Updike and Joyce-Mendive, who recorded 10 kills each. Senior tri-captain Stacy Filocco was also a major factor, producing 14 digs, nine kills and four service aces. Goldstein once again led the defense with 18 digs and Feiger posted 40 assists.
In the first day of tournament play on Friday, Tufts hosted two matches against Colby and Wellesley, winning both and improving to 11-0, the best start in the team's history.
In their first match, the Jumbos defeated the Mules 3-0 by the comfortable margins of 25-12, 25-11 and 25-21. The Jumbos did not trail in the match until the third set, when they reversed a 19-17 deficit with the help of a five-point run. Updike was the top offensive contributor with 11 kills and Feiger led the team in two categories with 29 assists and 17 digs, while Ripecky provided another defensive presence with 14 digs.
The squad's second match of the night held significant meaning for New England volleyball, as it faced undefeated Wellesley College, who beat Vassar in its first match of the tournament. Despite falling behind early on, Tufts rallied to build a lead and take the first set, carrying that momentum through the entire match and sweeping Wellesley 25-19, 25-22, 25-22.
Tied with Amherst for the NESCAC lead with a 3-0 record, the Jumbos now find themselves a marked team around the conference.
"We are the team people are aiming for now," Feiger said. "We handled the pressure really well and it shows because we came back and won."
Tufts will try to build on its tournament victory this weekend when it hosts a tournament at Cousens Gym. The Jumbos went 1-3 in their home tournament last year, but the victory at MIT bodes well for them as they begin tournament play on Friday with matches against Endicott and Elmhurst.
