Teams: Women's Volleyball: Press Releases

JUMBOS SET TO MAKE FOURTH NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE ON THURSDAY

The Jumbos celebrate a point in the NESCAC Championship match on Sunday

MEDFORD -- The Tufts University volleyball team will host Maine Maritime Academy on Thursday (Nov. 12) at 8:00 pm in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Division III Championship at Cousens Gymnasium.

Coach Cora Thompson's team is making its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Jumbos have been in the NCAA's four times overall, including 1996 and 2005 as well. Last year, they defeated Bridgewater State College in three sets to open NCAA action. However, they were eliminated in the second round against Wellesley in five sets. In 2005, three-set wins over Emmanuel and Colby-Sawyer led the Jumbos to the regional final where they lost in three to host Colby. The 1996 team lost its first-round NCAA match at Coast Guard, 3-0. Tufts is 3-3 overall in NCAA play.

This fall is the second straight season that Tufts has earned the #1 seed in the region and served as host of the first through third rounds. The Jumbos bring a 28-4 record into the tournament. After losing their first match of the year, Coach Cora Thompson's team ran off 19 straight victories. During that stretch, the team won the MIT Invitational and their own Tufts Invitational. Later in the season, the Jumbos won the Hall of Fame Invitational. Tufts, 8-2 in conference play, earned the #1 seed in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and hosted the conference championship for the second straight year. Tufts lost to Williams in the conference final. They now look to make the most of their NCAA opportunity.

"A key to our success is the depth of our team," senior co-captain Brogie Helgeson (Santa Cruz, CA) said. "We are composed of 15 great volleyball players who are all capable of stepping up on the court. We all have a role on the team and we are all great athletes who know what it takes to win. There isn't one star who carries the team. We all contribute and all push to make each other better. We have intense practices and work as a team to carry this fire to our games."

Tufts is led is kills by juniors Dawson Joyce-Mendive (Minden, NV) and Caitlin Updike (Manhattan Beach, CA), who both have 394 this fall. Helgeson has added 281 kills to the attack. Senior setter Dena Feiger (Long Grove, IL), the All-New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) First Team setter last fall, had another outstanding season. Her 11.06 assists per match entering the NCAA's leads the conference. Updike's 33 service aces leads the squad.

On defense, sophomore Audrey Kuan (Los Altos, CA) has done a great job replacing 2008 All-NESCAC First Teamer Natalie Goldstein at libero. The only Jumbo to play in every set for the team so far this year, Kuan's 4.65 digs per set ranks third in the conference currently. At the net, sophomore Lexi Nicholas (San Diego, CA) and first-year Brittany Neff (Culver City, CA) are the top Tufts blockers with 50 and 43 blocks, respectively.

"We have a great mix of our cohesion on and off the court," Helgeson said. "As a team, we trust one another and hold each other accountable for our roles on the team. We push each other to improve and we respect every player as a great athlete. Off the court, we avoid drama and confront each other with issues, and we have fun. I strongly believe that a championship team loves this sport and loves the challenge, and we enjoy every minute of it."

The Maine Maritime Academy Lady Mariners, winners of the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) tournament, are the eighth seed in the Regional. This will be the third straight NCAA appearance for Maine Maritime (22-5). Mariners sophomore Chelsea Ward was selected as Most Valuable Player of the NAC tournament. Senior Amy Young and first-year Jenn Dixon were on the All-Tournament team.

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