Box Score
AMHERST, MA- One Year Later: Same Scenario, Different Venue.
The Williams College women's volleyball team (26-7) won
its fifth straight match Saturday to set up a meeting with
archrival Amherst in the NESCAC Championship match. The Ephs
posted a decisive 3-0 (30-21, 30-26, 30-20) victory over Tufts in
the NESCAC semifinals, and now looks to avenge a loss to the Lord
Jeffs in last years NESCAC final.
“This was one of our most consistent defensive matches of
the season,” said head coach Fran Vandermeer.
“This was a good win over a strong opponent.”
Unlike Friday's quarterfinal match against Middlebury, the
Ephs started strong and never looked back. After posting a
ten point win in game one, the Ephs jumped out to a 14-8 lead in
game two, and a 24-14 lead in the decisive game three. The
Jumbos had come into the match having won seven straight NESCAC
matches, including Friday night's win over Trinity in the
quarterfinals.
The key for the Ephs was the excellent block attack, which
neutralized the Jumbo attack throughout the match. Sophomores
Whitney Hitchcock (4 blocks, 8 kills, 3 digs, 2 service aces) and
Alisha Cahlan (3 blocks, 9 kills), and first years Nicole
Ballon-Landa (4 blocks, 14 kills, 3 digs) and Eleanor Levine (1
block, 11 kills, 6 digs) led the Eph presence at the net.
Pacing the Eph offense was first year setter Emily Avis, who
tallied 45 assists to go along with 10 digs.
On defense, when the Jumbos were able to penetrate the Eph play at
the net, junior captain Riki McDermott (10 digs), and sophomores
Melissa Pun (22 digs, 11 kills) and Chelsea Kubal (20 digs) stepped
up and shut down Tufts' offensive attack.
After Amhert's 3-1 win over Conn College earlier in the day,
the Ephs and Lord Jeffs now meet in the NESCAC Championship match
for the second year in a row. In last year's final,
which Williams hosted, the Lord Jeffs rebounded from a game one
loss to sweep the final three and win the NESCAC title.
The Ephs look to return the favor Sunday on Amherst's home
court at 1 PM. The winner will claim the NESCAC title and
earn an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.
