FREDERICK, Md. – A late second-set rally was not enough for the Hood College men's volleyball team to come back against Shenandoah University, falling 3-0 at home.
Set Scores
The Hornets defeated the Blazers 25-17, 25-22, 25-17.
Inside the Box Score
Charles Casas (Rehoboth Beach, Del./Cape Henlopen) and
Blake Catts (Rehoboth Beach, Del./Cape Henlopen) both had seven kills on the evening.
Cameron Nugent (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) led Hood with 18 assists.
Dane Lyons (Taneytown, Md/Francis Scott Key) finished the match with nine digs.
How it Happened
Although Shenandoah took the first point with an ace, Nugent and Casas got back-to-back kills to retake the lead and establish an early battle for position between the teams. After a Catts kill tied things up 5-5 however, the Hornets would go on a 7-1 run to create a decent amount of space between them and the Blazers. Hood managed to battle back a bit with a 4-2 run that was aided by an ace from
Ryan Elias (Washington, D.C./Washington Leadership Academy), but a 6-1 run from Shenandoah made it a 20-11 deficit that the Blazers could not recover from.
Set two started off better for Hood, who got the first two points. Things were much more competitive at the start as both teams traded blows, but with the Blazers holding a slight 11-10 advantage, the Hornets managed to take the next eight points and put
Hood in a massive hole. The Blazers got right back to it though, going on an 8-3 run and getting within two points. Shenandoah won the next three rallies to get to set points at 24-19 though, and despite a responding three-point run from Hood, it would ultimately fall and go down two sets to none.
On the verge of being swept, the Blazers again maintained pressure on the Hornets and stayed right behind them, taking the lead early before entering a back-and-forth battle. Although Shenandoah managed a little separation midway through the set at 15-11, Hood got the next three points to cut its deficit to just one. That would be as close as it would get though, as the Hornets would score 10 of the next 13 points to clinch the set match and complete the sweep.
For the Opponent
Kailen Dmitruk and Finn Martin led Shenandoah with eight kills.
Alex Schoenen ended the match with eight blocks.
Up Next
The Blazers head to Grantham, Pennsylvania for a Middle Atlantic Conference match against Messiah University Thursday, March 5 at 7 p.m.
