WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Hood College women's volleyball team fell in matches against Rutgers-Camden and Wilkes University, losing 3-1 and 3-0 respectively.
Set Scores
The Scarlet Raptors beat the Blazers 25-19, 25-17, 20-25, 25-14.
Wilkes defeated Hood 25-16, 25-19, 25-10.
Inside the Box Score
Cam Madden (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring) had 16 kills and 20 digs across both matches.
Maria Ricketts (Adamstown, Md./New Life Christian) finished the day with 36 assists.
Anna Daley (Erie, Pa./Harborcreek) ended the afternoon with five total blocks.
How it Happened – Rutgers-Camden
A slow start for Hood's offense in set one quickly turned into a slugfest, as both teams went on multiple three-point runs with neither able to control the pace of play too much. Momentum shifted with the Blazers ahead 10-8 though, as Rutgers-Camden fired off a 9-2 run to take a lead it would not relinquish to take a 1-0 advantage in the match.
The second set started much more calmly, with each team taking turns to score a point or two at a time as the Scarlet Raptors took the biggest lead of three points before Hood fought back once more. After back-to-back points for Hood cut Rutgers-Camden's lead to 15-14, the Scarlet Raptors iced the set with a 7-1 run with the Blazers only scoring two more times before going down 2-0 in the match.
Needing to turn the tide, Hood came out in set three and did just that, with Ofoegbu leading off the set with a kill, then keeping the momentum and making it 6-0 in the blink of an eye. Although a bit of back-and-forth saw its lead shrink to just one, the Blazers showed how much of a game of runs the sport is, using multiple four-point runs to jump ahead 22-14. Rutgers-Camden tried to come back by getting the next five points, but Hood held on to force a fourth set.
After taking an early 2-0 advantage in the fourth set, the Scarlet Raptors proceeded to score 11 of the next 15 points and put the Blazers in an 11-6 hole. Unfortunately, there would be no ensuing comeback to follow for Hood to force a fifth set, with Rutgers-Camden eventually taking the set and the match 3-1.
How it Happened – Wilkes
The Blazers kept up with host Wilkes in the final match of the day, answering the Colonels' opening four-point run with one of their own and keeping up with the home team for a while after. After cutting the deficit to just 10-9 though, Wilkes surged ahead with a 13-3 run, dashing Hood's hopes of taking the set lead.
Set two started in favor of the Colonels and stayed in favor of them, putting the Blazers at a 9-2 disadvantage first and not letting Hood get too close, as it only got within striking distance late in the set with three points to make it a 23-19 game right before Abby Dornblaser got two straight kills to give Wilkes a 2-0 match lead.
Looking for a spark to stay alive, Ricketts looked to get things going with an ace for the first point of the third set, but the Colonels quickly countered and jumped ahead 9-3. Hood was not out of the fight yet, using a 6-1 run to be behind just one point. Unfortunately, that one point it needed would be the only point it would get the rest of the set, with Wilkes scoring 15 of the next 16 points, including the final 12, to sweep the Blazers.
Up Next
Hood stays on the road with a match in Reading, Pennsylvania against Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth opponent Albright Wednesday, October 22 at 7 p.m.
