CAMBRIDGE, MA- The Williams College volleyball team (7-7)
split two matches on the first day of the MIT Invitational, setting
up a spot in tomorrow's silver bracket. The Ephs began the
day by extending their win streak to three with a 3-0 (25-19,
25-12, 25-17) win over Endicott but could not sustain the momentum
in a 3-1 (25-23, 25-22, 16-25, 25-12) loss to Springfield.
"We are continuing to improve but we still have a lot more work
to do to get where we want to be," said assistant coach Joel
Williams.
Against Endicott, the Ephs were especially strong on the block
and in the service game. Junior co-captain Chelsea Kubal and
first year Aly McKinnon both smashed a team-high four aces and
recorded 10 digs, while sophomore Eleanor Levine posted 6
blocks. Sophomore Emily Avis led the offense efficiently with
20 assists and also tallied 13 digs, while junior Whitney Hitchcock
and sophomore Nicole Ballon-Landa both had 3 blocks.
In the second match, the Ephs were able to jump out to leads
early and force ties late in both the first and second set but were
unable to win either. While the Ephs won the third set
convincingly, it was not enough to capture the come from behind
victory against Springfield.
Despite the loss, the Ephs were able to produce some impressive
numbers. Sophomore Kate Anderson smashed a team high 14 kills
to go along with 5 blocks, while Levine added another 6 blocks to
her total for the day. McKinnon and junior Andrea Scioscia
led the defense with 11 digs and 7 digs respectively, while
Ballon-Landa added 7 kills and 3 blocks. Avis also recorded
33 assists.
The Ephs now look forward two matches tomorrow in the fifth
place silver bracket. Day 2 action begins at 10 AM with a
match against Wellesley, followed by the Eph's final match at 2 PM
against either Bates or Smith.
