GWYNEDD VALLEY, Pa. - The Hood College volleyball team got back in the win column with wins over Gwynedd Mercy and Trinity (D.C.) in a tri-match played at Gwynedd Mercy.

The Blazers knocked off the Griffins 3-1 (25-18, 20-25, 25-7, 25-18) and swept the Tigers 3-0 (25-8, 25-3, 25-12).

Hood's defense held the two opponents to a combined -.069 hitting percentage for the afternoon.

Payton Belella (Smithsburg, Md. / Smithsburg) had her sixth 40-plus assist match of the year against Gwynedd Mercy and finished the two matches with 59 total assists. She pulled within 24 assists of Robin Deniker's single season record. Elena Young (Hagerstown, Md. / Hagerstown) had 24 total kills in the two contests and moved into fifth on the single season list with 239. Renee Reus (Frederick, Md. / Urbana) served 11 aces.

HOOD 3, GWYNEDD MERCY 1

Young had 21 kills and Belella dished out 43 assists to lead the Blazers to the four-set win. 

Young hit .474 for the match and had just three errors. Belella had a double-double with 10 digs. Courtney Hutchinson (Burtonsville, Md. / Blake) tallied six blocks and Brenna Elizondo (Littleton, Colo. / Heritage) led the team with 18 digs. Reus served four aces. 

After Hood fell behind 5-0 in the first set, the Blazers came back to take the lead and closed with a 10-4 run that featured four kills by Young to take a 1-0 lead. The Griffins tied the match in the second set, but Hood took control in set three. The Blazers led just 11-8 before going on a 14-1 run to cruise to the win. The momentum continued into the fourth set, where Hood went ahead 10-3.

The Blazer defense held Gwynedd Mercy to a -.008 hitting percentage. Lauren Tressel had nine kills and 15 digs. Lauren Martin's 19 assists were a team-high. Samantha Schearer added three aces.

HOOD 3, TRINITY (D.C.) 0

Hood had the fourth-highest hitting percentage in school history at .426 and dispatched the Tigers in three sets. Conversely, Trinity hit just -.323 in the match.

The Blazers also served 22 aces in the match, including seven by Reus and six from Belella. Caroline Kinna (Frederick, Md. / Walkersville), who led Hood with seven kills, had five aces. 

Betson was perfect in the match with kills on all six of her attempts. 

Hood hit .562 in the first set and .600 in the second, when the Blazers ended the set with a 17-0 run.

Ty'Yonna Seaton had seven digs and Shaundene Peart added two service aces.