HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Hood College women's volleyball team could not close out Eastern Mennonite University on the road, falling in a 3-2 reverse sweep in the non-conference match.
Set Scores
The Royals won 20-25, 20-25, 25-16, 25-20, 15-12.
Inside the Box Score
Ann Ofoegbu (Falling Waters, W.Va./Spring Mills) led the Blazers with 20 kills and three total blocks in the match.
Ainslee Barger (Poolesville, Md./Poolesville) ended the day with 13 assists.
Molly McGraw (Forest Hill, Md./Concordia Prep) finished the match with 11 digs.
How it Happened
The first set started with Hood in a 4-0 hole right away, but they quickly fought back to take a 9-7 lead with kills from Ofoegbu. Maintaining a slight advantage 18-16 advantage late in the set, three points in a row gave them enough of a lead to not allow an EMU comeback, taking an early 1-0 match lead.
The next set was competitive off the bat, with the teams exchanging the leads several times. With the score knotted at 11 though, the Blazers would go on a 10-3 run to put themselves in the driver's seat. Despite the Royals picking up the next five points in a row, Hood was able to finish the set out and put themselves in position to sweep.
Set three was once again a close fight in the beginning, but with Hood holding a 7-6 lead, EMU ran ahead with an 11-3 run to put themselves in control of the set, and four straight points a little later would essentially any chance of a comeback, forcing a fourth set.
With another chance to close the match out, the Blazers worked themselves into a 12-9 lead in the fourth set, but five straight points from the Royals just a few rallies later put the visitors back in the hole, and after a tough 8-2 run by EMU, they confirmed their intention of not going down easily, forcing a decisive fifth set.
As Hood's backs were suddenly against the wall, they did not get the start they needed in the final set, with the Royals jumping out to a 5-2 lead and managing to maintain it through the halfway point. Although the Blazers got the first point of the second half, EMU would take the next four, putting Hood in a hole they could not come back from and sending them home empty-handed with a 3-2 loss.
For the Opponent
Mara Woolford had 16 kills for EMU.
Kaitlyn Custis totaled 29 assists.
Up Next
The Blazers head to Grantham, Pennsylvania for a Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth match against Messiah University Tuesday, October 29 at 7 p.m.
