FREDERICK, Md. - The Hood College women's volleyball team started the 2025 season on the right foot, defeating Eastern Mennonite in a five-set thriller and fighting to a 3-1 victory over Drew University in a home trimatch.
Set Scores
The Blazers defeated the Royals 25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 8-25, 15-7.
Hood snuck past Drew 25-23, 25-19, 24-26, 26-24.
Inside the Box Score
Ann Ofoegbu (Falling Waters, W.Va./Spring Mills) racked up 29 kills and seven service aces across both matches.
Maria Ricketts (Adamstown, Md./New Life Christian) led the Blazers in assists with 67 on the day.
Mary LeBlanc (Suffolk, Va/Stonebridge) and Katie Goddard (Keedysville, Md/Boonsboro) both totaled 26 digs over both matches, with LeBlanc coming down with four blocks in the match against Drew.
How it Happened – Eastern Mennonite
Both teams got opportunities to start the match, but Hood looked to take control early after a four-point run gave it a 10-5 lead, but a 10-5 run from Eastern Mennonite tied things up at 15 midway through the set.
Although neither team could get a foothold the rest of the set, with the squads knotted up at 22-22, the Blazers scored the next three points to take the set with
Cam Madden (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring) getting the final kill for the 1-0 match lead.
Set two was similar to the first, but neither team could take a good enough lead to get comfortable at any point, as the score ended up tied at 15 once again. The Royals would get the first decent cushion of the set late with a 21-17 advantage, and despite Hood getting within two points, it could not force overtime as EMU tied the match at a set apiece.
Although the third set looked like it would quickly belong to the Royals when they raced out to a 5-1 lead, the Blazers took advantage of some unforced errors and back-to-back kills from Anna Daley (Erie, Pa./Harborcreek) to jump ahead 8-6. Another four-point run put Hood up 17-10, but EMU did not go down without a fight, going on a six-point run late to cut the Blazers' lead to just 23-22. Thankfully, Hood regained its composure to get the next two points needed to take the set and regain the match advantage.
The fourth set started in favor of the Royals and stayed in favor of the Royals, with EMU pushing a 7-4 lead into a 16-5 one in the blink of an eye. The Blazers managed just three more points as the Royals forced a decisive fifth set.
In complete opposition to the previous one, Hood took complete control of the final set, scoring six times before the Royals could get on the board. After taking the next two points and switching sides, the Blazers continued to pour on the offense, taking three more points and an 11-1 advantage. Although EMU took four of the next five points, both teams traded scoring afterward, with Daley getting the final kill of the game and starting Hood's season off with a win.
How it Happened – Drew University
If the Blazers thought the Rangers would be tired from the previous match, they were sorely mistaken, as Drew kept pace with Hood to start the first set before a 6-1 run put the Blazers in a 13-9 deficit. Four quick points from the Blazers pulled them even though, as the squads began exchanging runs. Hood led 23-21 late in the set before back-to-back kills from the Rangers tied the score, but the Blazers got the next two points to once again take the opening set.
Neither team could go on a deep run to start the second set, with the scoreboard reading 10-10 until Hood responded to Drew's three straight point with an 8-1 run of its own for an 18-14 lead. The Rangers closed the gap to 20-19 late in the set, but the Blazers locked in to score the next five points as a monster kill from Ofoegbu clinched the 2-0 match lead.
With its first sweep opportunity of the season, Hood started off set three well, staying ahead of Drew by at least a couple points and holding a 13-10 lead halfway through. Things looked to be sealed for the Blazers with a 19-14 advantage, but the Rangers stormed back with a 9-1 run to give themselves a chance to force a fourth set. Despite Hood forcing overtime with two points in a row making it a 24-24 affair, Drew took the next two points to give itself life down 2-1 in the match.
For the first half of the fourth set it looked like the Blazers would play a second five-set match in a row with the Rangers controlling the score. After putting Hood in a 15-13 hole though, the Blazers decided they wanted to go home after all, pulling out a 7-1 run to take the lead and then eventually holding a 23-18 lead late. Being on the brink lit a fire under Drew though, going on a 6-1 run to force overtime play. Hood regained its composure when it needed, and Madden got the final kill of the match to keep the team undefeated and send Woodsboro Bank Arena into a frenzy.
