NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – The No. 4 MIT women's volleyball team wrapped up the regular season by defeating Smith College (25-17, 25-12, 25-22) and Union College (25-23, 25-18, 19-25, 25-22) on Saturday afternoon. With the victory over Smith, the Engineers claimed their second NEWMAC regular season title in three years and earned the No. 1 seed for the upcoming NEWMAC Championship.
THE BASICS:
- Scores:
- No. 4 MIT 3, Smith 1 (25-17, 25-12, 25-22)
- No. 4 MIT 3, Union 1 (25-23, 25-18, 19-25, 25-22)
- Records: No. 4 MIT (29-0 Overall, 11-0 NEWMAC), Smith (26-6 Overall, 9-2 NEWMAC), Union (19-9)
HOW IT HAPPENED – MATCH ONE vs. Smith:
- Set 1: Trailing 5-3, a kill by sophomore Kayleigh May (Camarillo, Calif.) sparked a 15-4 run as MIT went on to capture a 25-17 win.
- Set 2: Holding an 11-6 lead, a Smith hitting error kicked off a 14-6 set-ending run by the Engineers.
- Set 3: A 14-6 run that was capped by an ace from junior Daphne Gavros (Bel Tiburon, Calif.) gave MIT a 20-14 lead. The Pioneers stayed close as a kill and two aces narrowed the gap to 23-21. A hitting error gave the Engineers match point, but a kill kept Smith alive. MIT thwarted the comeback attempt courtesy of a kill from graduate student Consecrata Rozario (Cary, N.C.).
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Senior Ella Gragg (Morganton, N.C.) posted eight kills and six digs while Rozario finished with seven kills and a .600 hitting percentage. Junior Ali Gibbs (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) generated six kills and three blocks as May tallied 26 assists, eight digs, and four aces. Senior Ottavia Personeni (Bethesda, Md.) led all players with 13 digs while Gavros recorded nine digs and three aces.
HOW IT HAPPENED – MATCH TWO vs. Union:
- Set 1: The opening frame was a back-and-forth affair as there were 11 ties and three lead changes. A block by sophomores Emma Hickman (Houston, Texas) and Peyton Brown (Parker, Colo.) gave MIT a 23-19 lead, but four consecutive errors by the Engineers tied the score. However, kills by Gibbs and Gragg secured the 25-23 win.
- Set 2: Trailing 7-6, a serving error sparked a 12-5 run that was capped by a block from sophomore Elise Echarte (Miami Beach, Fla.) and junior Claire Underwood (Yorba Linda, Calif.). MIT maintained a small cushion as a kill by first-year Jessie Trapp (Elmhurst, Ill.) resulted in set point at 24-15. Union picked up the next three points, but a kill from first-year Jennifer Cen (Orlando, Fla.) clinched the victory.
- Set 3: The Garnet Chargers recorded the first three points and eventually built a 21-11 advantage. The Engineers battled back as Underwood's kill trimmed the deficit to 23-19. Union countered with a kill and a block to take the set.
- Set 4: The fourth frame was closely played as there were 10 ties and six lead changes. A pair of hitting errors gave the Garnet Chargers a 21-20 edge. Following its own timeout, MIT rattled off four straight points as a kill by Underwood resulted in match point. A hitting error extended the set, but a block from Underwood captured the win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Underwood produced 12 kills and three blocks while first-year Julia Tolstova (Redlands, Calif.) notched 10 kills and eight digs. Echarte totaled eight kills and four blocks as May amassed 39 assists, 13 digs, and six blocks. Personeni collected a match-high 26 digs while Gragg and graduate student Ashley Margetts (Brownsburg, Ind.) both recorded three aces.
- This was the first meeting between both teams since 2010 and the Engineers are now 3-0 all-time against Union.
UP NEXT:
- As the No. 1 seed for the NEWMAC Championship, MIT will host No. 8 Emerson College in a quarterfinal match on Tuesday, November 12 at 7:00 PM.
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