CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – In a back-and-forth thriller, top-seeded and nationally ranked No. 4 MIT fell to No. 3 seed Smith College, 25-17, 21-25, 25-21, 16-25, 15-11, in the NEWMAC Women's Volleyball Championship on Sunday. Graduate student
Consecrata Rozario (Cary, N.C.) powered the Engineers with 15 kills, a .560 hitting performance, and six blocks while junior Abby Hunt (Mandeville, La.) posted a match-high 18 kills and added 13 digs for the Pioneers.
THE BASICS:
- Score: Smith 3, No. 4 MIT 2 (25-17, 21-25, 25-21, 16-25, 15-11)
- Records: No. 4 MIT (31-1 Overall); Smith (30-6 Overall)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Set 1: Smith jumped out to a 12-6 lead which grew to 22-13 after a kill by graduate student Taylor Gwynne (Chapel Hill, N.C.). MIT claimed three of the next four points, but a kill by Hunt gave the Pioneers set point. A kill from Rozario extended the frame, however, a kill by sophomore Mia Etheridge (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) secured the 25-17 win.
- Set 2: The Engineers opened the set with five straight points en route to a 7-1 advantage. Smith countered with its own 7-1 burst, tying the frame on a block by senior Abby Sweeney (Spring, Texas) and sophomore Anna Feuer (Frederick, Md.). Sparked by a kill from Rozario, MIT generated a 10-1 run. The Pioneers battled back as a 4-1 spurt that featured three kills by Sweeney brought them within 22-21. The Engineers responded with back-to-back Rozario kills and an ace from senior Ella Gragg (Morganton, N.C.) to thwart the late rally.
- Set 3: Smith built a 6-1 lead and maintained a comfortable cushion for most of the set. However, four straight points by the Engineers, capped by an ace from sophomore Kayleigh May (Camarillo, Calif.) narrowed the gap to 21-18. The Pioneers recorded three of the next four points, but kills from sophomore Elise Echarte (Miami Beach, Fla.) and Gragg moved the score to 24-21. Smith countered with a kill from Hunt to stop the comeback attempt.
- Set 4: Holding a 9-4 lead, a kill by Rozario sparked an 8-1 run. Despite the deficit the Pioneers continued to attack and fought off set point three times until a kill from May clinched the 25-16 victory.
- Set 5: Smith raced out to a 5-1 lead which grew to 9-3 following a hitting error. MIT capitalized on a hitting error and kill by Echarte, but an exchange of points followed as a kill by Gwynne resulted in match point at 14-9. Kills from Echarte and first-year Julia Tolstova (Redlands, Calif.) kept the Engineers alive, but a block by Feuer and Gwynne captured the match.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Tolstova and junior Ali Gibbs (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) both produced 11 kills while Echarte finished with nine kills. May totaled 51 assists and three blocks as Gragg earned four aces. Senior Ottavia Personeni (Bethesda, Md.) led all players with 22 digs, followed by 12 from junior Daphne Gavros (Bel Tiburon, Calif.).
- Sweeney recorded 16 kills and three blocks as Gwynne tallied 47 assists and six blocks. Junior Claudia Poehlmann (Chicago, Ill.) notched four aces while junior Miranda Oakes (San Francisco, Calif.) had a match-high seven blocks. Senior Sarah Dankovich (El Paso, Texas) paced the Pioneers with 17 digs as sophomore Ruth Tullis (Edmond, Oklahoma) and Etheridge both added 11 digs.
- This the fourth year in a row and the 19th time overall MIT advanced to the NEWMAC Championship.
- This was the first time both teams met for the conference crown since 1989, which was the last of three straight title matches. The Engineers swept the Pioneers in 1987 and 1989 but lost in two sets in 1988.
UP NEXT:
- MIT now awaits word on an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The complete field will be announced in a selection show on Monday, November 18 at 1:00 PM on NCAA.com.
STAY CONNECTED:
