Volleyball Ends MIT Invite With 3-1 Win Over Colby; Falls to Redlands

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Wellesley College volleyball split a pair of matches for the second straight day at the MIT Invitational, defeating Colby College, 3-1 (25-19, 25-16, 21-25, 26-24), and falling to The University of the Redlands 3-1 (25-20, 25-19, 14-25, 25-18), on Sunday at MIT's Rockwell Cage. The Blue finished the tournament in eighth place, going 2-2, to move to 4-3 overall on the season.

Wellesley 3, Colby 1

Sophomore Yasmine Reece (New Rochelle, N.Y.) matched her season and career-high with 25 kills in a 3-1 Wellesley victory over Colby. Classmates Ashley Peng (San Diego, Calif.) and Alex Kew (Winchester, Mass.) chipped in with seven and five kills, respectively, as sophomore Michelle Li (Scarsdale, N.Y.) dished out 41 assists to help the Blue offense hit at a .236 clip in the match. Sophomore Samantha Hoang (Elk Grove, Calif.), senior Maddie Koh (Seattle, Wash.) and junior Alina Mota (Glendora, Calif.) all recorded double figure dig totals, with Hoang leading the way with 20, followed by Koh with 13 and Mota with 10.

The Blue took the first two sets in the match by scores of 25-19 and 25-16 before Colby was able to take a set. The Mules bounced back from back-to-back defeats with a 25-21 victory in the third and nearly took the fourth set. However, Wellesley was able to outlast Colby, 26-24, in the fourth game to take the match 3-1.

Redlands 3, Wellesley 1

Reece continued to roll in the Blue's second match of the day, recording 18 more kills and 10 digs, but the Blue were unable to rally from an early deficit in a 3-1 defeat to Redlands. Hoang was once again the Wellesley leader on defense, collecting 23 digs, while adding a pair of aces. Li finished with 28 assists, three aces, three kills and seven digs, while first year Meghan Shoop (Cypress, Calif.) added seven kills and a pair of digs.

Redlands rolled to 25-20 and 25-19 victories in the opening sets. Wellesley got back into the match with a commanding 25-14 third set victory but the Bulldogs took back the momentum and ended the match with a 25-17 victory in the fourth set.

Wellesley opens New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Tuesday, September 13, when they travel to Boston to take on Emerson at 7:00 PM.

All-Tournament Team

Jenny Karnes, Babson
Abigail Hickman, Redlands
TBA, Bowdoin
Elizabeth Ahrens, Tufts
Kelly Klimo, Tufts
Megan Gebhard, MIT

Tournament MVP: Lisette Tellez, MIT

Final Standings

1. MIT (4-0; sets won-lost: 12-0)
2. Tufts (4-0; sets won-lost: 12-2)
3T. Bowdoin (3-1; sets won-lost: 9-6)
3T. Redlands (3-1; sets won-lost: 9-6)
5. Babson (2-2; sets won-lost: 8-7; point differential: +17)
6. Roger Williams (2-2; sets won-lost: 8-7; point differential: +4)
7. Endicott (2-2; sets won-lost: 8-8)
8. Wellesley (2-2; sets won-lost: 7-9)
9. Brandeis (1-3; sets won-lost: 5-9)
10. Bates (1-3; sets won-lost: 6-10)
11. Colby (0-4; sets won-lost: 3-12)
12. Regis (0-4; sets won-lost: 1-12)

Wellesley Results

Wellesley def. Bates , 3-2 (20-25, 25-21, 25-22, 15-25, 15-10)
Tufts def. Wellesley, 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-17)
Wellesley def. Colby, 3-1 (25-19, 25-16, 21-25, 26-24)
Redlands def. Wellesley, 3-1 (25-20, 25-19, 14-25, 25-18)