Engineers Split at Buttermaker Tournament

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The MIT women’s volleyball team recorded a 2-2 mark at the Buttermaker Tournament hosted by Muhlenberg College this past weekend. The Engineers (6-2) topped DeSales University (25-13, 25-18, 18-25, 25-15) and Moravian College (25-20, 25-22, 20-25, 25-19) before falling to nationally-ranked No. 22 Haverford College (25-22, 25-21, 25-21) and York College (Pa.) (25-16, 25-20, 19-25, 19-25, 15-9). Barden Cleeland represented the Cardinal and Gray on the All-Tournament Team.

In MIT’s opener with DeSales, Kelly Schulte led the front row with 11 kills to go along with a .318 hitting percentage and two aces. In two games, Alex May tallied 10 kills, a .471 hitting percentage, seven digs, and three blocks. Cleeland posted 10 kills on a .350 hitting performance in addition to four blocks in three sets. Katie Spielbauer paced the defense with 13 digs as Cathy Melnikow registered 11 digs. Anna Dikina collected nine digs and three aces while Katrina Ellison contributed six digs and two aces. Cecily Joujon-Roche chipped in four blocks as Alyssa Rothman distributed 33 assists.

Against Moravian, May and Rothman each recorded double-doubles. May posted 13 digs, 12 kills, and four blocks while Rothman compiled 31 assists, 10 digs, and two aces. Cleeland notched nine kills, five blocks, and two aces as Jenny Li totaled eight kills and four blocks. Dikina and Spielbauer both had 10 digs while Ellison and Joujon-Roche rounded out the defense with five and four blocks, respectively. Schulte picked up a team-high three aces to go along with three blocks.

Cleeland led the Engineers with 13 kills and four blocks in their loss to Haverford. Ellison recorded eight kills and three blocks as May accumulated a team-high 11 digs in addition to seven kills. Li bolstered MIT’s attack with seven kills while Rothman registered 26 assists and 10 digs. Melnikow and Spielbauer both collected nine digs as Melnikow chipped in three aces. Dikina racked up seven digs while Joujon-Roche added two aces.

In the Cardinal and Gray’s five-set thriller with York, May totaled 15 kills, seven digs, and two blocks. Schulte had a solid outing, finishing with 11 kills, eight digs, and three blocks. Joujon-Roche contributed 10 kills and two blocks while Cleeland tallied eight kills, three blocks, and three aces. Ellison paced the blocking corps with four stops as Spielbauer anchored the defense with 15 digs. Melnikow registered eight digs and five aces while Li tacked on two blocks.