FREDERICK, Md.- The Hood College women's volleyball team started their 2026 campaign against the Cardinals of Catholic University on Tuesday evening but fell 3-0 in sets.
Set Scores
Catholic won 25-20, 25-16, 25-23.
Inside the Box Score
Cam Madden (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring) led the team in kills with nine, aces with four, and digs with 10.
Maria Ricketts (Adamstown, Md./New Life Christian) tallied 16 assists and added 10 digs.
How it Happened
The Blazers started the first set slow, which allowed the Cardinals to take full advantage and jump to an early 7-3 lead. Hood found some momentum after
Madison Powell (Midlothian, Va./Manchester) and
Cam Madden (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring) assisted on a block. Powell snagged a kill for the Blazers to keep the team hot. The Cardinals responded back and held the advantage now 11-8. Hood was not discouraged by Catholic's lead and went on a run before the Cardinals called a timeout to regroup. The Blazers now led 13-11. Catholic found their footing, but Hood didn't back down as both teams traded points, but ultimately the Cardinals pulled away in set one 25-20.
Set two was more or less of the same as the Blazers started slow, and the Cardinals jumped to a 7-0 lead. Unfazed by the deficit, Hood battled back and cut the lead to just one, as the score was 11-10. Catholic extend their lead to 18-12, before a kill by
Mary LeBlanc (Suffolk, Va/Stonebridge) stopped the bleeding. The Cardinals answered quickly with a kill of their own, but
Cam Madden (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring) responded and earned the kill off a
Maria Ricketts (Adamstown, Md./New Life Christian) assist to show that the Blazers had life as the tide seemed to be turning. Any rally the Blazers had in mind was stopped as the Cardinals took set two 25-16.
As the Blazers were on their last gasp in set three, they came out fighting, and a powerful kill by
Emerson O'Connor (Woodbridge, Va./Forest Park) was a tone setter for the squad. Hood looked to force a fourth set as both teams went back and forth, but the Cardinals had a pivotal rally and didn't look back as they held a commanding 14-5 lead over the Blazers. Hood took a wise timeout and settled back in and went on a run of their own. They cut into the Cardinals lead which now sat at 16-14. The Blazers tied it at 21 but late game errors helped the Cardinals sweep the Blazers in the final set of the night 25-23.
For the Opponent
Laci Freitas led the Cardinals with six kills.
Julia Raab tallied five aces and Anna Maria Carella added eight digs.
Analysis
The Blazers held a slight advantage in assist 23-22.
Hood was edged in digs 39-33 and blocks 7-3.
Notes
Hood falls to 0-1 to start the year.
Catholic improves to 1-0 on the season.
Up Next
The Hood College women's volleyball team is back home on Thursday, September 3, at 7 PM as they host the Green Terror of McDaniel College.
