CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – In NEWMAC women's volleyball action on Tuesday night, No. 4 MIT defeated Babson College, 25-23, 25-9, 25-20, in Rockwell Cage. Senior
Ella Gragg (Morganton, N.C.) tallied 14 digs, seven kills, and five aces for the Engineers while junior Isabella Allen (Williamsville, N.Y.) generated a match-high 11 kills for the Beavers.
THE BASICS:
- Score: No. 4 MIT 3, Babson 0 (25-23, 25-9, 25-20)
- Records: No. 4 MIT (27-0 Overall, 10-0 NEWMAC); Babson (22-5 Overall, 7-3 NEWMAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Set 1: MIT built an early lead which grew to 22-11 after back-to-back kills by Gragg. Following its own timeout, Babson responded with a 12-2 run that was capped by a pair of kills from Allen. The Engineers replied with a kill from graduate student Ashley Margetts (Brownsburg, Ind.) to secure the 25-23 victory.
- Set 2: A kill by graduate student Consecrata Rozario (Cary, N.C.) sparked a string of eight unanswered points that fueled an 18-3 run and resulted in a 20-5 advantage. MIT eventually reached set point at 24-7 on an ace by junior Daphne Gavros (Bel Tiburon, Calif.). Back-to-back kills from senior Lauren Gips (Winter Park, Fla.) extended the frame, however, a serving error clinched the win for the Engineers.
- Set 3: Babson jumped out to a 7-2 lead after back-to-back kills by Allen. MIT chipped away at the deficit and then went ahead for good at 9-8 as Rozario and sophomore Kayleigh May (Camarillo, Calif.) collaborated on two blocks while Rozario added a solo block. Gragg followed with an ace to create some breathing room, but the Beavers stayed close as a kill by first-year Angelina Holm (Denver, Colo.) narrowed the gap to 20-18. The Engineers countered with another Rozario-May block and then a block by first-year Julia Tolstova (Redlands, Calif.) and junior Ali Gibbs (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) to kick off a 4-1 burst. A setting miscue kept Babson alive, but a kill by Tolstova won the match.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Sophomore Eileen Sadati (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) paced MIT with eight kills while May totaled 25 assists and five blocks. Rozario finished with seven blocks as Gibbs added three of her own. Senior Ottavia Personeni (Bethesda, Md.) collected a team-high 21 digs followed by 13 from Gavros.
- Gips finished with eight kills while sophomore Zoe Ackerman (Aurora, Colo.) generated 22 assists and seven digs. Junior Roz Cabuena (Kailua, Hawaii) led all players with 22 digs as first-year Emma Watts (Northport, N.Y.) contributed 14 digs.
UP NEXT:
- Both teams wrap up the regular season on Saturday, November 9. MIT will travel to NEWMAC foe Smith College for a 12:00 PM match and then it will take on Union College in non-conference action at 2:00 PM. Babson, meanwhile, will host NEWMAC rival Springfield College at 4:00 PM.
STAY CONNECTED:
