SCRANTON, Pa. – The No. 3 Berry Vikings opened the 2026 season with a statement win Saturday morning, battling past No. 13 Tufts 3-2 but then fell 3-0 to No. 18 Ithaca in the second game of the day at the John Long Center
Match 1: Berry 3, Tufts 2
The Vikings took the opening set 25-20, but Tufts answered in the second, 25-16. Berry regained the momentum with a 25-18 win in the third before the Jumbos forced a deciding fifth set with a 25-17 fourth-set victory. Berry then finished the match strong, taking the fifth set 15-11.
Berry got going early in the first set, with
Shelby Harris recording the Vikings' first kill before
Ailee England followed with an ace to help Berry pull even at 2-2.
Madie Whitehead then added a kill to give the Vikings their first lead of the match.
Keira Kruk continued to provide a spark early, picking up two kills as Berry moved ahead 5-4. The two teams continued to trade points, with Berry getting kills from Kruk and Whitehead to stay in front. A block from
Cali Armstead and Kruk helped the Vikings build an 8-5 advantage before Tufts worked its way back into the set. With the score tied at 9-9, Berry answered with another Kruk kill and continued to get points from Whitehead as the set moved along. Berry began to create some separation late in the opening frame. A Whitehead kill and an error from Tufts helped the Vikings take a 13-12 lead, while a service ace from
Maddie Dahl pushed the advantage to 15-12. Armstead and Whitehead then teamed up for a block to make it 18-14 before Berry took control down the stretch.Whitehead added another kill to make it 21-15, and Armstead followed with a kill as Berry continued to hold off the Jumbos. Whitehead then came through again with an ace to put the Vikings at set point before a Tufts attack error gave Berry the 25-20 first-set win.
The second set started quickly for Berry, as Armstead and Kruk opened the frame with kills before Armstead added another to give the Vikings an early 3-0 lead. England then followed with back-to-back aces as Berry extended its advantage to 5-0. Tufts responded with a run of its own, eventually pulling even and taking its first lead of the set.
Ava Brovet answered with an ace, while Kruk and Whitehead continued to provide kills as the Vikings stayed within striking distance. The Jumbos began to build momentum late in the set, taking a 15-10 lead before Berry answered with kills from Whitehead and Harris. Tufts continued to hold the advantage, though, and moved ahead 20-15 before closing out the second set 25-16 to even the match.
Berry came out strong again in the third set, getting kills from Harris and Brovet before a Tufts attack error helped the Vikings jump ahead 3-0. After Tufts tied the set, Brovet and
Rosemary Boylston helped Berry regain the lead, with Boylston adding an ace to make it 4-5. The Vikings continued to find their rhythm as Whitehead recorded back-to-back kills and Kruk added another point. A block from Armstead and Whitehead helped Berry move ahead 11-6, and Kruk followed with an ace as the Vikings continued to pull away. Berry maintained control throughout the middle of the set, with Whitehead adding another kill and ace while Armstead and Kruk continued to contribute offensively. The Vikings built a 20-10 advantage before Tufts tried to make a late push.
Kruk answered with another kill, and Whitehead added one more to put Berry at set point. A Tufts attack error then gave the Vikings a 25-18 win and a 2-1 lead in the match.
Tufts came out of the break looking to extend the match and jumped ahead 3-0 in the fourth set. Berry responded with kills from Kruk and Harris to cut into the deficit, but the Jumbos continued to maintain the lead. Whitehead came through with a kill to make it 8-6, while Harris added another to bring Berry within one. Tufts continued to answer, though, using kills from Maiwenn Kamdje, Akpevwe Akpoigbe and Celina Savage to take a 16-11 lead. Berry continued to battle, with Harris and Whitehead providing kills to keep the Vikings within reach. Tufts eventually stretched its lead to 20-12 before Berry began to chip away again. Whitehead added another kill, followed by a kill from Harris, and another Whitehead kill brought Berry within seven. The Vikings continued to fight until the end, but Tufts held on to take the fourth set 25-17 and send the match to a deciding fifth set.
With the season opener coming down to the final frame, Tufts scored first before Whitehead answered with a kill from Brovet. Berry then took control with a pair of Tufts attack errors and a block from Armstead and Whitehead, moving ahead 4-1. The Vikings continued to pressure Tufts at the net, with another block from Kruk and Armstead helping Berry take a 4-1 advantage. Tufts fought back to make it 5-3, but an Akpoigbe attack error and a Tufts service error helped Berry maintain its lead. Tufts continued to battle, cutting the deficit to two, but Berry stayed in front behind kills from Brovet and Kruk. With the score at 13-11, Kruk delivered another kill from Brovet to put the Vikings within two points of the win before a Tufts attack error helped Berry close out the deciding set, 15-11.
Madie Whitehead led the Vikings with 16 kills, adding 11 digs and four blocks in an all-around performance.
Keira Kruk followed with 10 kills, while
Shelby Harris contributed six kills.
Ava Brovet directed the Berry offense with 29 assists and added four service aces and nine digs. At the net,
Cali Armstead led the Vikings with five blocks, while Whitehead added four and Kruk recorded two. Defensively,
Andrea Hurt paced Berry with 16 digs, helping the Vikings withstand several Tufts runs throughout the five-set battle.
The victory gives Berry a 1-0 start to the season and marks an impressive opening win against a Tufts team ranked No. 13 nationally entering the season.
Match 2: Ithaca 3, Berry 0
The Vikings opened the match with a strong start, but Ithaca held on to take the first set 27-25. Berry continued to battle in the second set before the Bombers pulled away late for a 25-20 win. Ithaca then closed out the match with a 25-23 victory in the third set.
Berry came out ready to compete in the opening set, keeping the score close throughout the early stages.
Madie Whitehead helped lead the Vikings' attack, while
Keira Kruk and
Cali Armstead also provided kills as Berry stayed within striking distance. The Vikings continued to trade points with Ithaca as neither team was able to create much separation. As the set moved toward the finish, Berry continued to answer each Ithaca run. Whitehead came through with several important kills, while Armstead added points at the net. The Vikings pushed the set past 25 points, but Ithaca was able to take the opening frame 27-25.
Berry responded well in the second set and continued to put pressure on the Bombers. Whitehead again led the offensive attack, while Kruk and Armstead chipped in with kills of their own.
Ava Brovet helped keep the offense moving with positive sets as Berry stayed within reach of Ithaca throughout the set. The Bombers began to create some separation late in the second, but Berry continued to fight. Whitehead and Kruk helped keep the Vikings in the set before Ithaca eventually closed it out 25-20, taking a 2-0 lead.
With the match on the line in the third set, Berry once again stayed close from the start. Whitehead continued to find success offensively, while Armstead added kills at the net. Brovet continued to direct the offense, and the Vikings' defense kept several Ithaca attacks alive to keep the set competitive. Berry stayed within a few points throughout the final set and continued to battle as the score moved into the 20s. Whitehead and Kruk provided important points down the stretch, but Ithaca was able to hold off the Vikings and take the third set 25-23, completing the 3-0 sweep.
Whitehead led the Vikings with 25 kills, finishing with more than half of Berry's 47 kills on the night. Kruk added eight kills, while Armstead contributed six kills. Whitehead also finished with three blocks, while Armstead led Berry with five blocks and Kruk added one. Brovet initiated the Berry offense with 37 assists and added 12 digs, while
Andrea Hurt led the Vikings defensively with 13 digs. Kruk also recorded seven digs. Berry finished the match with 47 kills compared to Ithaca's 43, but the Bombers held the advantage in total points, 57-55.
The Vikings will finish the Scranton Invitational Sunday when they take on the University of Scranton at 11 a.m.
