THE BASICS:
 
- Score: No. 20 MIT 3, Babson College 1 (25-19, 19-25, 25-22, 25-23)
 
- Records: No. 20 MIT (24-5), Babson (21-8)
 
- Location: Cambridge, Mass. (Rockwell Cage)
 
- The Lead: Top-seeded MIT went on an 13-6 run in the fourth set to come from behind and defeat No. 2 Babson College, 25-19, 19-25, 25-22, 25-23, for its second straight NEWMAC Volleyball Championship and eighth overall on Sunday. With the win, the nationally-ranked No. 20 Engineers will be making their 21^st appearance in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. In addition, MIT junior setter Emily Cheng (Sunnyvale, Calif.) was named the Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
- Set 1: MIT recorded the first three points and went on to hold a small lead throughout the set. A ball-handling error brought Babson within 22-19, but kills by first-year Daphne Gavros (Tiburon, Calif.) and junior Consecrata Rozario (Cary, N.C.) along with a hitting error secured the win for the Engineers.
 
- Set 2: The Beavers jumped out to a 10-3 advantage and maintained their cushion for most of the frame. Despite the deficit, MIT continued to attack as it came with four points on two occasions, the last at 21-17 on a Babson hitting error. A hitting miscue by the Engineers coupled with a kill by Lauren Gips gave the Beavers some breathing room as they went on to win the set, 25-19.
 
- Set 3: MIT quickly established a 6-1 lead but Babson eventually went up 15-14 on a kill from Gips. The Engineers replied with a kill and ace by sophomore Lauren Keller (Albuquerque, N.M.) as well as a kill from Rozario to reclaim the lead. The Beavers capitalized on another Gips kill and an ace by Tatum Stelter to tie the score at 17. Sparked by a kill from sophomore Ella Gragg (Morganton, N.C.), MIT put together a 7-2 run to reach set point. Babson used a serving error, a Sophia Shaw ace, and a block by Lauren MacDonald and Isabella Allen to extend the frame. Following their own timeout, the Engineers won the set, 25-22, courtesy of a hitting error.
 
- Set 4: After a back-and-forth start to the set, the Beavers inched out to a 17-12 lead on a kill by Martina Jankovic Chin. MIT chipped away at the deficit and then rattled off five unanswered points as a block by Rozario and senior Lilly Edwards (Kansas City, Mo.) put the hosts in front, 22-21. A serving error tied the frame, but a hitting error by the Beavers and a kill from senior Alyssa Unell (Scottsdale, Ariz.) resulted in match point. After a timeout by Babson, Jankovic Chin recorded a kill. However, the Engineers quickly completed the comeback courtesy of another kill by Edwards.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
 
- Rozario finished with 11 kills, a .364 hitting percentage, and three blocks while Keller and Gragg contributed 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Cheng dished out 44 assists as junior Ashley Margetts (Brownsburg, Ind.) amassed four aces.
 
- Gavros paced MIT with 14 digs, followed by 11 from sophomore Ottavia Personeni (Bethesda, Md.) and nine by senior Sofie Kupiec (Manhattan Beach, Calif.).
 
- Gips led all players with 19 kills while hitting .405 for Babson. Jankovic Chin registered 10 kills and five blocks as Izzy Seebold distributed 37 assists.
 
- Roz Cabuena collected a match-high 17 digs while Olivia Leinenweber added 11 of her own. MacDonald bolstered the defense with eight blocks.
 
- This was the second time MIT and Babson have met in the NEWMAC Championship. The Beavers defeated the Engineers, 25-23, 25-23, 19-25, 20-25, 15-12, for the program's first title in 2014.
 
UP NEXT:
 
- MIT will learn about the location and its opponent in the NCAA Tournament during the selection show on Monday, Nov. 7 at 1:00 p.m. on NCAA.com.
 
STAY CONNECTED:
 
- For the latest on MIT Athletics, follow the Engineers via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.