NEWVA Regional Poll #2 Revealed

BEVERLY, Mass. - October 4, 2017 - The last remaining unbeaten team in New England, Johnson & Wales (R.I.) at 16-0 (5-0 GNAC), and Tufts (10-4, 5-0 NESCAC), winners of four in-a-row, share the top spot in the second New England Women's Volleyball Coaches Association (NEWVA) Regional Poll. JWU, who also cracked to the AVCA Top-25 national poll in the No. 20 position, received four first place votes while Tufts received two.

The third NEWVA regional poll will be released on Wednesday, October 11. 

NEWVA REGIONAL POLL NO. 2

T-1. No. 20 (AVCA) Johnson & Wales (R.I.) (16-0, 5-0 GNAC) | 99 points | four first place votes
T-1. Tufts (10-4, 5-0 NESCAC) | 99 points | two first place votes
3. No. T-17 (AVCA) MIT (18-1, 6-0 NEWMAC) | 95 points
4. Babson (14-3, 5-1 NEWMAC) | 76 points
5. Wesleyan (Conn.) (12-1, 5-0 NESCAC) | 75 points
6. Springfield (11-4, 3-3 NEWMAC) | 71 points
7. Middlebury (11-2, 4-0 NESCAC) | 70 points
8. Wellesley (11-3, 7-0 NEWMAC) | 51 points
9. Bowdoin (5-6, 2-1 NESCAC) | 48 points
10. Endicott (10-6, 3-1 CCC) | 41 points
11. Roger Williams (9-6, 3-0 CCC) | 37 points
12. Clark (Mass.) (9-7, 3-3 NEWMAC) | 30 points
13. Keene St. (15-2, 2-0 LEC) | 24 points
14. Coast Guard (12-6, 4-3 NEWMAC) | 10 points
T-15. UMass Boston (7-10, 3-0 LEC) | 8 points
T-15. Wentworth (16-2, 2-1 CCC) | 8 points

THE TOP FIVE

T-1. No. 20 (AVCA) Johnson & Wales (R.I.) (16-0, 5-0 GNAC) | 99 points | four first place votes

Johnson & Wales (R.I.) remains one of only three teams (No. 1 Wittenberg, No. 2 Colorado College, No. 20 JWU) with an undefeated record in the 2017 season. Their AVCA national ranking is the first in program history. The Wildcats breached the Top-25 thanks to a 3-0 sweep of AVCA No. 14 MIT at home last Friday night. JWU takes the court for the first time as a nationally-ranked program on Wednsday, October 4 at St. Joseph (Conn.). 

T-1. Tufts (10-4, 5-0 NESCAC) | 99 points | two first place votes

Winners of four straight matches, Tufts bested NESCAC foes Hamiton and Williams in straight sets to move into a tie with JWU for top spot on this week's NEWVA Regional Poll. The Jumbos have a road match at Rivier on Wednesday, October 4 before another weekend conference slate with Amherst and Trinity (Conn.). 

3. No. T-17 (AVCA) MIT (18-1, 6-0 NEWMAC) | 95 points

MIT fell in the battle of New England unbeatens, 3-0 at Johnson & Wales (R.I.), but remained in good standing in both the NEWVA Regional and AVCA National Polls. The Engineers rebounded from that loss with straight-set wins over Mount Holyoke and Keene St. before grinding out a five-set triumph over NEWVA No. 4 Babson on Tuesday night. MIT hosts Emmanuel on Thursday, October 5 in their next match.

4. Babson (14-3, 5-1 NEWMAC) | 76 points

Babson jumped two spots in the NEWVA Regional Poll after beating NEWVA No. T-15 Wentworth and No. 14 Coast Guard in straight sets as well as No. T-15 UMass Boston, 3-1. The fifth-set loss at home to MIT is their most recent contest. Babson hosts both Plymouth St. and No. 10 Endicott for a Saturday tri-match. 

5. Wesleyan (Conn.) (12-1, 5-0 NESCAC) | 75 points

Wesleyan maintains their hold on the No. 5 spot in the NEWVA Regional Poll after an impressive 3-0 performance this week. The Cardinals upended NESCAC opponents Trinity (Conn.) and Amherst as well as Stevens in four sets as part of a tri-match with the Mammoths. Wesleyan travels to Western Conn. St. on Thursday, October 5 for their next match.

UPCOMING RANKED VS RANKED

Friday, October 6
No. 8 Wellesley at No. T-15 UMass Boston, 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 7
No. 5 Wesleyan (Conn.) at No. 7 Middlebury, 2:00 p.m.
No. 11 Roger Williams at No. 6 Springfield, 3:00 p.m.
No. 10 Endicott at No. 4 Babson, 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 10
No. 3 MIT at No. 12 Clark (Mass.), 6:00 p.m.
No. 8 Wellesley at No. 14 Coast Guard, 7:00 p.m.

* Rankings are the most recent NEWVA Regional rankings

CONFERENCE LEADERS AROUND NEW ENGLAND

Commonwealth Coast Conference
No. 11 Roger Williams (9-6, 3-0 CCC) | NEWVA wins over Wellesley (9/9), Endicott (9/30) | Oct. 4 at Western New Eng., 7:00 p.m.

Great Northeast Athletic Conference
No. T-1 Johnson & Wales (R.I.) (16-0, 5-0 GNAC) | NEWVA wins over Bowdoin (9/16), Rivier (9/23), MIT (9/29) | Oct. 4 at St. Joseph (Conn.), 7:00 p.m. 

Little East Conference
No. T-15 UMass Boston (7-10, 3-0 LEC) | NEWVA win over Brandeis (9/13) | Oct. 6 vs No. 8 Wellesley, 6:00 p.m.

Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference
Worcester St. (11-6, 3-0 MASCAC) | Oct. 5 vs Becker, 7:00 p.m.

North Atlantic Conference
Maine Maritime (12-7, 2-0 NAC) | Oct. 7 vs Southern Me., 1:00 p.m./Univ. of New England, 3:00 p.m.

New England Collegiate Conference
Elms (9-7, 1-0 NECC) | Oct. 5 at Fitchburg St., 5:00 PM

New England Small College Athletic Conference
No. 5 Wesleyan (Conn.) (12-1, 5-0 NESCAC) | Oct. 5 at Western Conn. St., 7:00 p.m.

New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference
No. 8 Wellesley (11-3, 7-0 NEWMAC) | NEWVA wins Endicott (9/9), Springfield (9/30), Clark (10/3) | Oct. 6 at UMass Boston, 6:00 p.m.