FREDERICK, Md. – The Hood College men's volleyball team capped its season off celebrating senior
Ben Foster (Lexington, Md./Homeschooled), with the Hood veteran getting a match-clinching kill as the Blazers defeated Regent University 3-2 before sweeping Penn State - Schuylkill 3-0.
Set Scores
The Blazers defeated the Royals 12-25, 25-23, 25-19, 17-25, 15-10.
Hood beat Penn State - Schuylkill 25-14, 25-19, 25-18.
In the day's middle match, Regent swept PSU - Schuylkill 25-17, 25-16, 25-23.
Inside the Box Score
Charles Casas (Rehoboth Beach, Del./Cape Henlopen) spearheaded the Blazers with 37 kills, eight aces, and 16 digs.
Cameron Nugent (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) ended the afternoon with 63 assists.
Ryan Elias (Washington, D.C./Washington Leadership Academy) had three blocks in match one.
Blake Cats finished with 13 kills against Regent.
How it Happened – Regent
Hood did not get off to the start it wanted, as the Royals raced out to an early 5-1 lead. The Blazers stayed within four points for a bit, but after making it a 7-4 game, Regent exploded for a 9-2 run and a 10-point advantage, and Hood quickly found itself behind 1-0 in the match.
Set two was much more competitive with
Joel Wantz (Taneytown, Md./Francis Scott Key) getting back-to-back service aces to give the Blazers a 5-2 lead, but again the Royals' offense showed out, putting Hood behind 12-7 shortly after. Three straight points later in the set got it within two at 13-11, and that deficit would stay for quite a while, but after Regent made it 20-17, a pair of kills from Casas helped tie it up at 20. It looked like the Royals would recover to take a second straight set after getting the next two points, but the Blazers finished on a 5-1 run to steal the set and tie the match.
After dropping the first three points of the third set, Hood responded with an 11-3 run to get out to a five-point lead. Both squads went back-and-forth for a while after that, but despite the Blazers holding a 20-14 lead late, Regent pulled out a 4-1 run to make it a three-point game. Hood was able to recollect itself though, as kills from Elias and Casas helped the team win the set and take the match lead 2-1.
Unfortunately for the home crowd, the fourth set played out similarly to the first, with the Royals jumping out to a 10-4 lead early on. Despite keeping it within three points for most of the set, the Blazers were unable to get back into it, and there would in fact be a sudden-death fifth set.
The final set was as chaotic as the rest of the match, with Hood getting out to a 4-2 lead thanks to kills from Casas and Catts, but Regent responding with four straight to jump ahead. The Blazers were able to tie it 7-7 with kills from Elias and
Blake Catts (Rehoboth Beach, Del./Cape Henlopen), and although the Royals got to eight points first to switch sides, Hood rattled off five in a row thanks to three Casas kills for a 12-8 lead. The junior was not done there though, as he recorded the next two kills to give the team match point at 14-9, and after a service error gave the ball back to Regent, Nugent found Foster on the outside edge, and the lone senior capped off his celebration by getting the final kill that gave the Blazers the win.
How it Happened – Penn State - Schuylkill
Hood's second match started much more optimally, with Casas getting its first four points with a pair of kill and aces for a 4-1 lead. The Blazers kept rolling from there, using a 7-1 run to stretch their advantage to 13-5, and although the Nittany Lions got the next three, Hood responded with five straight shortly after to make it a 20-10 affair, eventually taking the set.
The Blazers got a bit too relaxed to start the second set, with PSU Schuylkill taking the first four points. Catts was able to help the team lock in though, winning the next four before once again falling behind 10-6. The Nittany Lions eventually stretched their lead to 13-8, but a 14-3 run from Hood flipped the set around and allowed it to win the set and look to sweep.
Once again PSU Schuylkill did not give the Blazers anything easy, hanging with them and taking an early 8-6 lead. Hood's offense broke out with six straight points from either a kill or an ace to jump ahead 12-8, but a 6-1 run from the Nittany Lions again changed the lead. That would be the last time they would have that lead though, as the Blazers exploded with a 10-1 run that all but put the game away, and the home crowd was able to celebrate a day's sweep for the first time this season.
Up Next
The men's volleyball team will return to Woodsboro Bank Arena in 2027.
