MEDFORD, Mass. -- Wellesley volleyball reached the finals of the MIT Invitational on Saturday for the first time since 1999, but fell to Tufts University in the championship match 25-16, 25-21, 25-21.  It was the Jumbos third consecutive MIT Invitational title. 

Isabel Custodio and Elizabeth Campbell led the Blue in the finals with 12 kills each.  Taylor King added four kills and seven blocks, while Victoria Peng and Custodio combined for 27 assists in the loss.

To reach the final, Wellesley downed NEWMAC rival Springfield College in a hard-fought semi-final.  After dropping the first set 19-25, Wellesley rebounded to take three straight, 29-27, 25-22, 25-23.  Campbell tallied 14 kills and 14 digs to lead the Blue. King notched a season-high 13 kills and chipped in five blocks.  Peng and Custodio combined for 46 assists in the win.

Custodio and King earned all-tournament honors.  Custodio, who recorded 75 assists on the weekend, also racked up 47 kills while hitting .349 for the tournament.  King tallied 17 blocks and 32 kills in the two-day event.

The Blue, now 7-3 on the season, return to action Tuesday, September 28, when they travel to Mount Holyoke for a 7:00pm match.

All-Tournament Team
Kelly Schulte, MIT
Nicole Ballon-Landa, Williams College
Kelsea Hellyar, Springfield College
Taylor King, Wellesley College
Isabel Custodio, Wellesley College
Kendall Lord, Tufts University
Tournament MVP: Caitlin Updike, Tufts University

Final Standings
1. Tufts University
2. Wellesley College
3. Springfield College
4. Williams College
5. MIT
6. Endicott College
7. Vassar College
8. DeSales University
9. North Park University
10. Connecticut College
11. Colby College
12. Smith College

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Gold Bracket
Semifinals
Tufts University def. Williams College, 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-15)
Wellesley College def. Springfield College, 3-1 (19-25, 29-27, 25-22, 25-23)
Championship
Tufts University def. Wellesley College, 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-21)
Consolation (Third Place)
Springfield College def. Williams College, 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-22)

Silver Bracket
MIT def. Vassar College, 3-1 (27-25, 25-23, 19-25, 25-8)
Endicott College def. DeSales University, 3-1 (25-13, 25-21, 21-25, 25-22)
Championship (Fifth Place)
MIT def. Endicott College, 3-1 (20-25, 25-12, 25-23, 25-19)
Consolation (Seventh Place)
Vassar College def. DeSales University, 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-21)

Bronze Bracket
North Park University def. Smith College, 3-0 (26-24, 25-16, 25-17)
Connecticut College def. Colby College, 3-0 (25-18, 25-10, 25-17)
Championship (Ninth Place)
North Park University def. Connecticut College, 3-0 (26-24, 25-23, 26-24)
Consolation (11th Place)
Colby College def. Smith College, 3-2 (25-18, 25-16, 18-25, 22-25, 15-13)

Friday, September 24, 2010

Pool A
MIT def. North Park University, 3-2 (25-11, 20-25, 18-25, 25-22, 16-14)
Williams College def. North Park University, 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-19)
Williams College def. MIT, 3-1 (25-19, 25-17, 26-28, 25-16)

Pool B
Springfield College def. Endicott College, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-16)
Endicott College def. Colby College, 3-0 (25-22, 29-27, 33-31)
Springfield College def. Colby College, 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-14)

Pool C
Wellesley College def. Connecticut College, 3-2 (25-15, 25-22, 25-27, 17-25, 18-16)
Wellesley College def. DeSales University, 3-1 (25-22, 25-21, 16-25, 25-23)
DeSales University def. Connecticut College, 3-2 (25-19, 31-29, 20-25, 27-25, 15-10)

Pool D
Tufts University def. Smith College, 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-11)
Vassar College def. Smith College, 3-0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-23)
Tufts University def. Vassar College, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-12)