While this past week represented the team's least compressed schedule, the competition and caliber of play ranked among the best in the conference. Both teams started the game with matching 5-1 records in conference play and seven-game winning streaks. In the end, however, Amherst stayed hot and Tufts was left out in the cold, losing in four hard-fought games by scores of 30-26, 24-30, 30-23 and 30-22.
Coming off of Wednesday's lopsided win over Westfield State College (30-19, 30-14, 30-13), the 'Dogs sought to increase their intensity against the historically tenacious Tufts team. "Only having one game this weekend allowed us to prepare for a specific style of play," said senior co-captain Lauren Wong. "Tufts is a strong hitting team. They don't have just one or two go-to players; they rely on a varied attack."
In fact, Tufts had four players with double-digit kill statistics. For many teams, this would represent an insurmountable obstacle en route to a victory. However, as the Amherst squad plays a similar style of hard-hitting and assorted offense, the pairing resulted in riveting volleyball action complete with long rallies, relentless defense and thundering kills.
Amherst struck first, controlling the game's momentum through diverse and effective attack. The Tufts squad kept pace, but the 'Dogs eventually came away with the 30-26 win. The Jumbos rebounded with energy in game two while Amherst's hitters faltered slightly, making several momentum-destroying errors at key points and ultimately giving Tufts the game, 24-30.
"We didn't hit well in the second game," said Wong. "The errors hurt us, but we were able to turn it around the next game."
And turn it around they did. Behind the setting of junior Annie Hoeksma, Amherst hit its way to an eventual victory, putting away the third and fourth games, 30-23 and 30-22. Hoeksma tallied 46 assists during the four-game match while aiding the defense with 14 digs.
Other standout performances included those of outside hitters Nikki Davidson '05, co-captain Jessica Allen '04, Kristin Quinn '07 and libero Mikela Yarawamai '07. Davidson has established herself as one of the most effective all-around players for the Firedogs this season. Saturday's game was no exception ,as Davidson compiled 17 kills and 16 digs in the win, also adding a team-high three aces with her serve.
Allen also proved her versatility by anchoring the defense with an astounding 21 digs and foiling the Tufts defense with eight kills and one ace. Quinn, who leads the team in kills this season, added another 16 while providing the bulk of Amherst's blocking, rejecting four Jumbo attempts herself and an additional six with the help of a teammate. Yarawamai once again showed her resolve in the back row, tallying 11 digs on the day.
This coming weekend Amherst co-hosts the Hall of Fame Tournament with fellow Pioneer Valley colleges, Smith and Mount Holyoke. With 17 of the best teams from conferences all over New England vying for the championship, competition will surely be fierce.
Amherst hopes to use this tournament as preparation for post-season matches. Because the precise schedule of opponents is dependent on the outcomes of each game, it is impossible to know what specific teams Amherst will face. Potential rivals include Williams and Springfield Colleges, who both handed the 'Dogs a loss during their last matchup. The scrappy MIT squad may also find its way onto Amherst's docket as could any one of the three NESCAC schools from Maine.
Firedog action begins 5 p.m. Friday evening in LeFrak gymnasium as the team hosts Clark College. The 'Dogs then play the winner of the Brandeis vs. Bowdoin match at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Amherst travels elsewhere in the Valley seeking to secure a place in the 4 p.m. championship match at Smith.