Middlebury Hosts 2001 NESCAC Volleyball Championship

HARTFORD, Conn. – Wesleyan is the top seed in the 2001 NESCAC Volleyball Championship hosted by Middlebury College on Friday, November 2 and Saturday, November 3.

Wesleyan (9-1 conference, 27-4 overall) won its last nine conference matches to earn the top seed and will face eighth-seeded Middlebury (3-7, 13-11) in the quarterfinals at 6 p.m. on Friday. The Cardinals defeated the Panthers in four games in their regular season contest. In the other 6 p.m. quarterfinal match, second-seeded Williams (8-2, 25-3) faces seventh-seeded Trinity (5-5, 14-15). The Ephs defeated the Bantams twice during the regular season, once in a dramatic five-game match. Trinity eliminated the Ephs in last year’s conference tournament quarterfinals.

The 8 p.m. quarterfinal matches on Friday will feature third-seeded Amherst (8-2, 23-6) playing sixth-seeded Colby (6-4, 17-11) and fourth-seeded Tufts (7-3, 20-11) facing fifth-seeded Bates (6-4, 23-10). Amherst, the two-time defending NESCAC champions, defeated Colby in four games in their regular season conference match. Tufts edged Bates, the runner-up in each of the last two conference championship tournaments, in five games in their regular season contest.

Six NESCAC teams are ranked among the top schools in the region, including four in the top six. Williams is currently ranked second with Wesleyan and Amherst ranked third and fourth, respectively. Tufts is ranked eighth, while Bates and Colby are also regionally ranked.

The semifinals and championship will be played on Saturday. The semifinals will begin at 11 a.m. with the Wesleyan-Middlebury winner facing the Tufts-Bates winner. The other semifinal will pit the Williams-Trinity winner against the Amherst-Colby winner. The final will be played at 3 p.m.

2001 NESCAC VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Quarterfinals - Friday, Nov. 2 at Middlebury
No. 8 Middlebury vs. No. 1 Wesleyan - 6:00 p.m.
No. 7 Trinity vs. No. 2 Williams - 6:00 p.m.
No. 6 Colby vs. No. 3 Amherst - 8:00 p.m.
No. 5 Bates vs. No. 4 Tufts - 8:00 p.m.

Semifinals - Saturday, Nov. 3 at Middlebury
Middlebury/Wesleyan winner vs. Trinity/Williams winner - 11:00 a.m.
Colby/Amherst winner vs. Bates/Tufts winner - 11:00 a.m.

Championship - Saturday, Nov. 3 at Middlebury
Semifinal winners - 3:00 p.m.