MEDFORD, Mass. - The Tufts University volleyball team ended Bowdoin's bid for consecutive NESCAC Championships with a 3-1 win over the Polar Bears in the conference semifinals on Saturday afternoon.

The top-seeded Jumbos (24-2) advance to Sunday's NESCAC title match while the Polar Bears (15-10) likely see their season come to an end.

Match Highlights

• In four highly-competitive sets that rarely saw either team pull away, Bowdoin took the first but eventually fell in by scores of 21-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-21.
• Tied at 19 apiece in the first, Bowdoin rolled off a 6-2 run, capped by Michelle Albright kill, to take the first set 25-21.
• Tufts opened up a large 20-13 lead in the second set before Bowdoin closed to 22-21 following a spirited 8-2 surge. But Tufts answered by winning the final three points of the set to even the match at one apiece.
• The Jumbos took the early lead in set three, but Bowdoin was able to rally, cutting the lead to a single point on four occasions, including 24-23. But Tufts got a kill from Elizabeth Ahrens to take the final point of the set and lead 2-1 heading into the fourth.
• With the teams tied at 11 midway through the fourth, Tufts used a 4-1 spurt to take a lead they would not relinquish. Bowdoin was able to cut the lead to two, 20-18, following a Sydney Salle block, but could get no closer as a Katie Kim kill clinched the victory for the hosts.

By The Numbers

• Senior Quincy Leech led Bowdoin with 38 assists, 12 digs and four kills 
• Classmate Erika Sklaver had ten kills in the loss while Caroline Flaharty recorded a team-high 11 with 16 digs. Salle also finished with ten kills.
• The Bowdoin defense was outstanding, getting 26 kills from Katie Doherty, 25 from Lisa Sheldon and 18 from Michelle Albright.