SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The No. 16 MIT women's volleyball team kicked off the two-day New England Challenge by defeating Tufts University, 25-12, 21-25, 25-9, 25-16, on Friday night at Springfield College.
Sophia Song powered the Engineers with 11 digs and four aces.
THE BASICS:
- Score: No. 16 MIT 3, Tufts 1 (25-12, 21-25, 25-9, 25-16)
- Records: No. 16 MIT (18-3 Overall); Tufts (16-5 Overall)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Set 1: MIT raced out to an 8-1 lead which later grew to 18-5 after a Tufts hitting error. The Engineers went on to reach set point at 24-10 on a kill by Maya Licznerski, however, a kill and a hitting error extended the frame. MIT then picked up the win courtesy of a serving error.
- Set 2: The Jumbos claimed six of the first seven points and later had an 18-9 advantage following an ace. Despite the deficit the Engineers continued to attack as they came within three points on three occasions, the last at 24-21 on a kill from Ella Zhou. Tufts quickly replied with a kill of its own to win the set.
- Set 3: MIT won the first four points and maintained a small cushion until a kill by Jessie Trapp ignited a 9-0 run that resulted in a 19-7 lead. The Engineers continued to pull away as an ace from Ali Gibbs secured a 25-9 victory.
- Set 4: MIT jumped out to an 8-1 advantage, but the Jumbos battled back as they came within two points on three occasions, the last at 16-14 courtesy of a kill. However, the Engineers used a serving error to spark a 9-2 match-ending run.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Gibbs totaled eight kills, a .571 hitting percentage, five blocks, and two aces while Zhou posted 11 kills and 11 digs.
- Kayleigh May distributed 27 assists as Adelyn Wyndham and Daphne Gavros registered nine and eight digs, respectively.
UP NEXT:
- MIT will conclude the New England Challenge on Saturday, October 25 when it plays Middlebury College at 11:00 AM and Williams College at 3:00 PM at Springfield.
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