Volleyball’s Webb Earns 500th Win as Blue Down RIC, Tufts

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Wellesley College volleyball head coach Dorothy Webb earned her 500th and 501st career victories as the Blue went 2-0 on the final day of the 2013 Brandeis Invitational. Webb's historic victory came in Wellesley's first match of the day, as the Blue swept Rhode Island College 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-11). The team then started the road to her next milestone, by handing Tufts a 3-1 loss (25-21, 19-25, 25-22, 25-13) in their second match.

Webb's career record now stands at 501-170 for a .747 winning percentage. She is just the 28th Division III head coach to reach the 500-win plateau. Webb currently ranks 17th on the Division III all-time winningest coaches list (by winning %) and has the most wins out of any Wellesley College head coach for any sport.

In her career, Webb has guided Wellesley to two NCAA Final Four appearances, while the Blue have captured five NCAA Regional Championships. The team has made nine NCAA appearances under Webb's leadership, reaching the NCAA quarterfinals five times. Under her guidance, Wellesley volleyball has won 20 games or more in 14 of the past 18 years, with the team topping the 30-win plateau four times.

Starting off the day, the Blue were clean and dominant in a three-set win over RIC, making just five total errors in the match. Caitlin Laughlin led the offense, with six kills and no errors, while also recording three service aces. Kellyn O'Brady recorded a five-kill, eight-dig performance, while Brooke Fieldman and Courtney Lang each picked up four kills. Fieldman's four kills came on just five swings, without an error.

Maddie Koh led the Blue with 16 assists against RIC, while Hilary Ayers added 11. Taylor Jais played her first two sets as libero, picking up five digs.

Against Tufts, Wellesley went 2-1 in the first three tightly played sets, before the Blue exploded in the fourth, dominating the Jumbos 25-13 to seal the match win. 

Sydney Carfagno was spectacular for the Blue, racking up 23 kills, hitting at a .364 clip, while also recording a match-high of 22 digs, with four aces and three blocks. O'Brady also recorded a double-double in the match, totaling 12 kills and 11 digs. Rounding out the offense, Fieldman and Laughlin each picked up five kills, while Ayers dished out a team-high 32 assists.

Also for the Blue, Traci Hamanaka recorded 17 digs, while Laughlin totaled six blocks. Sierra Weingartner was also strong at the net, with four blocks, while Fieldman rounded out her line with three.

The Blue finished the Brandeis Invitational with a 3-0 mark. Carfagno earned All-Tournament honors after solid play in all three of Wellesley's victories.

Wellesley returns to the court next weekend, playing at the MIT Invitational. The Blue's Friday matches will take place at Simmons, as the Blue take on the Sharks and Connecticut College. On Saturday, Wellesley will play at MIT, against Roger Williams and Southern Vermont.