After winning four matches in a row, the Tufts volleyball team had their first in-conference defeat against Middlebury College on Saturday. The Jumbos bested the Ephs in four sets with scores 25–12, 25–20, 25–21 and 25–18, but ultimately fell to the Panthers in four the next day, losing 25–22, 25–23, 17–25 and 25–19.
The weekend road trip included first-year defensive specialist Dylan Whisenant’s birthday, hometown support for first-year outside hitter Celina Savage in Williamstown, scenic pit stops along the way and some challenging matches that the team had anticipated.
“We expected a battle with both teams and we got exactly that,” head coach Cora Thompson wrote in an email to the Daily. “We were challenged to be our best and we embraced these opportunities.”
In their first match against the Ephs, sophomore outside hitter Claire Castor and sophomore opposite hitter Emma Heckman each posted 12 kills. Whisenant put up three aces and 14 digs, and sophomore setter Rianna Liu recorded 23 assists. Needless to say, Tufts dominated against Williams, stringing together nine consecutive points to close out the first set.
“The win against Williams was a good highlight from this weekend,” Liu wrote in an email to the Daily. “Everything was meshing super well during the Williams game, allowing our energy and momentum to stay up the whole game.”
Along with leading the team on the court, Liu documented the 12-hour trip in an Instagram takeover, showing the team singing on the bus, warming up with pre-game routines and enjoying post-game dinners.
Heading to Middlebury overnight, there were high hopes of boosting the winning streak to five and give Whisenant a sweet birthday victory. Although the Jumbos competed well, with 14 kills from Heckman, four aces from Castor and seven blocks from junior middle hitter Julia Griffiths, they were pounced on by the Panthers. Middlebury sophomore right side hitter Molly Harrison had 19 kills, while senior setter Gabbie O’Toole recorded an impressive 40 assists.
“I believe that we still put up a good fight, however we now know the specifics of what we need to work on in our following practices,” Liu wrote.
The Jumbos will likely need to put this work into action if they hope to win a NESCAC title, especially since the Panthers have been unstoppable this season. Middlebury now boasts an in-conference record of 5–0, and they seek to remain undefeated throughout the fall.
Although a loss after a winning streak can be discouraging, the team sees the bright side in last weekend’s trip. Thompson is looking at the positives from the team’s performances.
“We are fortunate to have a deep roster and the Team did a great job of helping each other out,” Thompson wrote. “Claire Castor was a rock for us offensively and defensively both matches. Her passing kept our offense in system, her serving kept teams out of system and offensively she found ways to succeed in both matches. Very steady all weekend!”
At the very least, the Jumbos got a fun road trip out of the weekend experience. “We love playing on the road or at home. They are very different experiences. This team really is close knit so traveling on a bus for a total of 12 hours and hanging out in hotels equals awesome quality time,” Thompson wrote.
With just over half of the season completed, Tufts is sitting at third out of the eleven NESCAC teams in the standings with a 4–1 record in conference play.
“We are doing great so far,” Thompson wrote. “With 75% of our roster underclass-women, we are teaching a lot and they are learning a lot. As a coaching staff, we are beyond pleased with their progress. We are only going to continue improving.”
Liu expressed a belief in the team’s young players, praising their athleticism, which she credits with improving the Jumbos’ on-court performance.
“I feel very confident of how great our team looks,” Liu wrote. “We have so many young athletic players that are making such a change to this team.”
Tufts will take on Brandeis in Cousens Gymnasium tonight at 6 p.m., as they look to spark another winning streak going into the second half of their season. Although Brandeis is not in the NESCAC, the match will prepare the team for four consecutive in-conference matches before the New England Invitational kicks off on Friday, Oct. 25, and it is a crucial win for their record if they want to secure a good spot in the NCAA tournament bracket.
