Amherst Wins Second-Straight NESCAC Volleyball Title

Courtesy Amherst Sports Information

BRUNSWICK, Maine - After a strong regular season, the Amherst volleyball team - conference champions in 1999 after an incredible three-match, nine-game sweep of the league tournament - earned the 2000 title with a 3-1 victory over Bates on Saturday afternoon at Bowdoin. The Jeffs piled up four-game wins over Tufts University in the quarterfinals, Trinity College in the semifinals, and Bates College - the team they defeated in the 1999 championship - in the finals en route to the NESCAC crown.

Amherst used a thunderous attack to take game one by a 15-4 margin, before rolling to a 15-7 win in game two. Bates responded with a 15-13 victory in the third game, but Amherst, as was the case all weekend, was just too strong, beating out a 15-5 win in the final game for the conference championship.

In the final, DeMeules led the way again, recording 50 assists along with six kills, and Hewes, Dittus and Ratcliff all finished in double-figures in kills again, posting 19, 12 and 14 strikes, respectively.

With the three wins, the Jeffs improve to 27-4 on the season, heading into their third-consecutive NCAA Tournament, with pairings and sites announced late tomorrow night.

2000 NESCAC VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round - Friday, Nov. 3 at Bowdoin
No. 7 Trinity 3, vs. No. 10 Connecticut College 0 - 15-6, 15-6, 15-6
No. 8 Colby 3, vs. No. 9 Hamilton 1 - 15-5, 15-13, 11-15, 15-10
No. 6 Tufts 3, vs. No. 11 Bowdoin 0 - 15-2, 15-9, 15-9

Quarterfinals - Friday, Nov. 3 at Bowdoin
No. 1 Middlebury 3, vs. No. 8 Colby 0 - 16-14, 15-6, 15-10
No. 4 Bates 3, vs. No. 5 Wesleyan 2 - 15-15, 15-7, 13-15, 13-15, 15-11
No. 3 Amherst 3, vs. No. 6 Tufts 1 - 15-13, 15-12, 9-15, 15-9
No. 7 Trinity 3, vs. No. 2 Williams 1 - 4-15, 15-4, 15-12, 15-11

Semifinals - Saturday, Nov. 4 at Bowdoin
No. 4 Bates 3, vs. No. 1 Middlebury 2 - 14-16, 16-14, 15-13, 15-17, 15-12
No. 3 Amherst 3, vs. No. 7 Trinity 1 - 13-15, 15-7, 15-7, 15-2

Championship - Saturday, Nov. 4 at Bowdoin
No. 3 Amherst 3, vs. No. 4 Bates 1 - 15-4, 15-7, 13-15, 15-5

Consolation Matches
First Round - Friday, Nov. 3 at Bowdoin
Bowdoin 3, vs. Connecticut College 1 - 15-13, 11-15, 15-13, 15-8

Second Round - Saturday, Nov. 4 at Bowdoin
Williams 3, vs. Hamilton 0 - 15-3, 15-12, 15-12
Colby 3, vs. Bowdoin 0 - 15-11, 15-12, 15-4

Third Round - Saturday, Nov. 4 at Bowdoin
Tufts 3, vs. Williams 2 - 16-14, 15-9, 11-15, 12-15, 15-13
Wesleyan 3, vs. Colby 0 - 15-8, 15-4, 15-6

Fifth Place - Saturday, Nov. 4 at Bowdoin
Wesleyan 3, vs. Tufts 1 - 16-14, 15-11, 10-15, 16-14

Third Place - Saturday, Nov. 4 at Bowdoin
Middlebury 3, vs. Trinity 1 - 15-12, 15-5, 12-15, 15-7