Teams: Volleyball: Press Releases

Wednesday, November 3, 2004
Written by Andrew Silver

JUMBOS ENTER NESCAC TOURNAMENT AMONG TOP CONTENDERS

MEDFORD -- Coming off a second-place finish in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) regular season, fueled by a 9-1 conference record, the Tufts Volleyball is poised to make a run at the NESCAC Volleyball Championship, with an automatic bid in the NCAA Div. III Championship tournament as a reward.

The Jumbos, ranked third in the most recent New England Division III poll, put together a 26-5 overall mark in the regular season, including a win in the team's home tournament, the Tufts Invitational, in the first weekend of October. That tournament win included a victory over Wellesley which avanged a loss to the Blue only a week earlier. The 26 wins to date are the most by the Jumbos since 1996.

Among the team's conference triumphs were wins over Amherst (#7 in New England) on October 16 and Middlebury (#11 in New England) last Saturday. If the Jumbos can get past seventh-seeded Bowdoin on Friday night in the first round of the NESCACs, they will likely advance to meet the Lord Jeffs, the third seed, in the semi-finals. Standing between the Jumbos and the NESCAC crown in Sunday's final should be tournament host Williams, a team that can claim two only five victories against Tufts all season.

Tufts has boasted many outstanding performers this season, but none more consistent than sophomore hitter Kelli Harrison (Blue Jay, CA/Rim of the World), the NESCAC Player of the Week for the week of October 4. Harrison leads the team with a whopping 3.46 kills per game, which is ninth best in the conference, for a total of 367 kills on the season. Harrison has also contributed on the defensive end, with 379 digs and 57 blocks, second and fourth best on the team, respectively.

Tufts' senior leadership this fall has also been impeccable, with huge contributions from co-captains Emily Macy (Henderson, NV/Green Valley) and Alison Sauer (Larchmont, NY/Mamaroneck), along with setter Rebecca Schaevitz (San Rafael, CA/The Branson School). Schaevitz leads the team and the NESCAC with 11.07 assists per game, for a total of 786 on the season, and has also posted 31 service aces on the year, fourth-best on the team. Macy led the team in digs with 426, 4.10 per game, in the regular season, and Sauer contributed on both sides of the ball, with 186 kills, 22 aces, 250 digs, and 55 blocks.

Juniors April Gerry (Holmes, NY/Pawling) and Courtney Evans (Bellaire, TX/Episcopal) have also been among the Jumbos with large contributions. Evans led Tufts in blocks this fall with 1.33 per game for a total of 137, both second-best in the NESCAC. Evans also was best on the team from the service line, with 51 aces, and was second on the team with 215 kills. Gerry posted 185 kills on the season and averaged 0.92 blocks per game, ninth best in the conference.

Rounding out the regulars for Tufts, freshman Stephanie Viola (Getzville, NY/Nardin Academy) made an immediate impact with 40 aces and 247 digs in her first season as Jumbo. Freshman Megan Tunstill (Jacksonville, FL/The Bolles School) started for the Jumbos at setter prior to an injury, and first-years Kay Lutostanski (Houston, TX/Saint Agnes Academy) and Katie Wysham (Spokane, WA/St. Georges School) played important roles as the season progressed, with both topping the 100 kill plateau.

With a NCAA Tournament bid awaiting the winner of the conference tournament, the Jumbos have their sights set on Williams in the conference final, hoping the third time will, indeed, be a charm. Tufts cannot look over its early round opposition, however, as the NESCAC has proven to be strong from top-to-bottom. If the team falls short in the conference tournament, it still has hope to earn an at-large bid from the NCAA, but, for now, the Jumbos travel to Williamstown this weekend with the goal of bringing the conference title back to Medford.

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