Box Score
MEDFORD, MA- It was about three weeks ago when it looked
like the season could not get any worse for the Williams College
volleyball team (26-12). The Ephs had just lost to archrival
Amherst for the second time in four days at the Hall of Fame
Tournament and were riding a three match losing streak in the
NESCAC. From that point on, however, the Ephs have refused to
lose- literally.
After their eleventh consecutive victory Friday night in the
second round of the NCAA tournament against top seeded Springfield,
3-0 (27-25, 25-15, 25-15), the Ephs find themselves in the Sweet
16, for the first time since 2004, and just one win away from the
New England region title.
"Early in the match, we never doubted ourselves or our ability
to fight back," said head coach Fran Vandermeer. "Once we
settled in, we took care of the ball and played together as a team
from the first point until the last."
The match's first set was back and forth throughout. After
trading off points at the onset, the Ephs jumped out to 10-6 lead,
only to see the Pride bounce back and take a 19-15 advantage.
The Ephs again battled back to pull within 19-18, but the Pride
answered right back and were on the verge of a set victory at
24-20.
It was at this point that the set and the match turned around in
a hurry. With their backs against the wall, the Ephs went on
a 4-0 run and eventually grabbed the win by surviving two set
points by the Pride.
After the emotional first set, it was all Ephs. In the
second, with the score 6-4 Ephs, Williams went on a 14-7 run,
putting the set out of reach. In the match's decisive third
set, the story was identical as the Ephs used runs of 10-2 and 7-2
to clinch the match and a spot in the Sweet 16.
The key to success was the play at the net, as the Ephs used a
timely and efficient block game to stifle the Pride offensive
attack. Leading the charge for the Ephs were sophomores
Eleanor Levine (5 blocks, 3 aces), Emily Avis (4 blocks, 29
assists, 12 digs), and Nicole Ballon-Landa (2 blocks, 10 kills, 2
aces), and junior Whitney Hitchcock (4 blcoks).
The Ephs also received excellent efforts from juniors Melissa
Pun (12 digs) and Chelsea Kubal (10 digs, 2 blocks), sophomore Kate
Anderson (17 kills), and senior captain Riki McDermott (4 digs).
"We do not know our opponent yet but we know we'll have to bring
our best tomorrow night and were looking forward to the challenge,"
said Vandermeer.
The Ephs now advance to the New England regional championship
match tomorrow at 7 PM against the winner of Tufts and Wellesley's
semifinal match.
