READING, Pa. - The Hood college women's volleyball traveled to face off against the Golden Wolves of Alvernia University on Wednesday evening but fell in straight sets.
Set Scores
Alvernia won 23-25, 16-25, 21-25.
Inside the Box Score
Cam Madden (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring) led the way in kills with eight.
Maria Ricketts (Adamstown, Md./New Life Christian) led in aces with three, assist with 14, and digs with 11.
Sami Betley (Bel Air, Md./Mercy) earned three blocks to lead the Blazers defense.
How it Happened
The Blazers got off to hot start after
Maria Ricketts (Adamstown, Md./New Life Christian) would earn three service aces to start the contest and put Hood up 3-0 early. Hood stayed on the attack, as Ricketts would set up
Emerson O'Connor (Woodbridge, Va./Forest Park) for a kill as the score was now 6-2. The Golden Wolves were able to knot the score up at 7-7, but
Brynn Cochran (Frederick, Md./Governor Thomas Johnson) would give the Blazers back their slight lead after a kill. Hood was able to extend their lead 14-11, after
Cam Madden (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring) earned a service ace. Both teams continued to trade points as neither was able to earn a clear advantage over the other, and the score was now tied 17-17, it was clear that the first set was going to come down to the wire. Hood was able to go up 20-18, after
Jaylin Anderson (Poolesville, Md./Poolesville) found
Janiyah Thornton (Waldorf, Md./Southern Maryland Christian Academy) for a kill. The Blazers were up 21-18 and seemed to be closing in on a set one win, but the Golden Wolves answered back and tied it up 23-23. The Blazers took a timeout, but the Golden Wolves would ride the momentum and take set one 25-23.
Set two was more of the same, as neither team was able to find a clear edge, and were knotted up at 3-3 after
Cam Madden (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring) would earn the kill. Alvernia was able to go up 10-6 over Hood but the Blazers battled to stay within reach of the Golden Wolves. A short run would help Alvernia go up 14-9 in set two, as Hood would take a timeout to regroup and find some answers to the Golden Wolves attack. Hood was able to respond out of the timeout as
Maria Ricketts (Adamstown, Md./New Life Christian) would set up
Emerson O'Connor (Woodbridge, Va./Forest Park) for a kill. The Golden Wolves were unfazed by the O'Connor kill and earned two more points to go up 16-10. Hood was down 20-12 as they looked to try to go up 2-0 on the Blazers.
Cam Madden (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring) would help boost the Blazers with a kill late into set two, and later teammate
Mary LeBlanc (Suffolk, Va/Stonebridge) would earn a kill as the Blazers looked to overcome the deficit. The Golden Wolves were able to hold on and win 25-16, and go up 2-0 in the match.
A quick start by Alvernia would have the Golden Wolves up 5-0.
Emerson O'Connor (Woodbridge, Va./Forest Park) would stop the bleeding and get the Blazers on the board.
Tara Gosney (Centreville, Va./Centreville) earned the kill as the score was now 7-2, still in favor of the Golden Wolves. Alvernia would go up 10-3 after a Blazers' error. Despite the deficit, Hood continued to battle as Gosney earned another kill, as the score was now 12-5. The Blazers found some momentum after a service ace from
Cam Madden (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring) and a kill by
Grace Tamburin (Wheeling, WV./Wheeling Park), with Hood down 16-10. The energy seemed to shift towards the Blazers with an error by the Golden Wolves, but Alvernia would quickly responded with a kill to lead 17-11. As the set progressed, The Blazers still found themselves down but a kill by
Maria Ricketts (Adamstown, Md./New Life Christian) and a service ace by
Jaylin Anderson (Poolesville, Md./Poolesville) gave Hood some hope. The Blazers were able to cut the lead to just three with score at 23-20, that came from a Tamburin kill, but the Golden Wolves were able to stop the ensuing comeback in set three and sweep the Blazers.
For the Opponent
Allison Wolf, and Casey Treude both had ten kills.
Olivie VonNeida had 32 assist.
Analysis
Hood led in aces 6-4 and was edged in digs 57-55.
Notes
Hood falls to 3-5 in conference play and is eliminated from MAC Commonwealth Conference playoffs.
Alvernia improves to 4-4 in conference play.
Up Next
Despite the Blazers being eliminated from the Playoffs, they have one more match on Saturday, November 7, at Noon against Eastern Mennonite University, as they look to end the season with a victory.
