ALLENTOWN, Pa. –
Maria Ricketts (Adamstown, Md./New Life Christian) eclipsed the 1,000 assist mark as the women's volleyball team traveled on the road for the first time this season to Allentown, Pennsylvania. The squad took on the Mules of Muhlenberg College, and the Mustangs of SUNY Morrisville but fell 3-0 to Muhlenberg, and 3-1 to SUNY Morrisville.
Set Scores
Muhlenberg College won 25-22, 25-10, 25-13.
SUNY Morrisville won 25-16, 22-25, 25-16, 25-14.
Inside the Box Score
Ricketts finished with 28 assist on the day to lead the Blazers.
Cam Madden (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring) led the team in kills with 16 and digs with 14.
Sami Betley (Bel Air, Md./Mercy) tallied four blocks.
How it Happened – Muhlenberg College
The Blazers found themselves in an early hole as the Mules jumped out to a 6-1 lead. Despite the deficit, Hood found some momentum after
Maria Ricketts (Adamstown, Md./New Life Christian) set teammate
Mary LeBlanc (Suffolk, Va/Stonebridge) up for a kill, as the score now sat at 9-5. It seemed that the energy now shifted toward the Blazers as they cut the lead to just one after an
Emerson O'Connor (Woodbridge, Va./Forest Park) kill. The Score was 11-10. The team battled back and forth through set one as neither team was able to gain the upper hand, and tied at 17-17, it appeared that the first set was going to come down to the wire. Both teams traded points back and forth, but it would be the Mules slipping away in set one with a 25-22 victory over the Blazers.
In set two, Hood came out with more fire after a thunderous kill by
Cam Madden (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring) was a tone setter for the Blazers. The Mules held a four-point lead but a kill by
Sami Betley (Bel Air, Md./Mercy) would chip into the lead. Three straight points by Hood would have the score set at 8-7. Muhlenberg went on a run and now led 16-8. The Blazers would tally two more points off of errors from the Mules, but Muhlenberg found fire and went on a late run to end set two 25-10.
Set three started and it featured yet another Madden kill, and a Ricketts service ace to have the Blazers up 2-0. The Mules fought back and now went up 5-3. Hood needed some energy and found it in first-year
Grace Tamburin (Wheeling, WV./Wheeling Park), who earned a kill as the score was 6-5, still in favor of the Mules. Muhlenberg went on a run to extend their lead now 12-5, as Hood took a well needed timeout to try and regroup for the rest of the set. The Mules didn't let up after the timeout and now was up 18-7, as Hood continued to search for answers. A Kill by
Sami Betley (Bel Air, Md./Mercy) stopped the bleeding, but Muhlenberg stayed on the attack and now led 22-8. Betley was determined to try and will the Blazers back into it after yet another kill, and it seemed to work as the score was 23-12. Despite a late game spark, the Mules shut the door on the Blazers with a 25-13 win and a match sweep.
How it Happened – SUNY Morrisville
Hood jumped to an early 2-0 start after kill by
Mary LeBlanc (Suffolk, Va/Stonebridge). The teams battle to a tie at 7-7, but after a block by Betley, then followed that up with a kill, the Blazers were on a roll. Hood led 11-8 in set one, but SUNY Morrisville would respond and go on a run, to now lead 16-12. After a timeout by the Blazers, it was more of the same for the Mustangs as they went on yet another run and now led 22-13. The Mustangs stood firm and never looked back as the finished the set with a 25-16 win.
The Mustangs had a fast paced start and went up 6-0. Hood responded with nine unanswered points to now lead 9-6.
Isabelle Garrett (Fluvanna, Va./Fluvanna) kept the Blazer momentum going as the score now sat at 11-8. The Mustangs knotted the game at 13 and then went up 16-13. Hood was unfazed by the quick shift and tied it back 18-18. A late rally by the Blazers and a
Isabelle Garrett (Fluvanna, Va./Fluvanna) kill was all they would need to win set two 25-22. The match score was now at 1-1.
The Mustangs in set three went up 6-1 before the Blazers scored three points to make it 7-4. SUNY Morrisville scored 10 unanswered points to now lead 14-4. A block by
Sami Betley (Bel Air, Md./Mercy) gave the Blazers extra motivation as they chipped away at the lead and cut it to a 16-8 score. The Mustangs were persistent offensively and got back the 10-point lead now 20-10. A late kill by
Isabelle Garrett (Fluvanna, Va./Fluvanna) gave Hood some hope but SUNY Morrisville won set three 25-16 and regained the 2-1 match advantage.
Hood looked to even back up the matches won in set four as they previously did, but SUNY Morrisville went up 15-6 on Hood. The Blazers showed signs of life as they closed the gap, and the score sat at 20-13. Despite the valiantly effort shown by the Blazers, the Mustangs won the set 25-14, and won the match 3-1.
Notes
Hood falls to 0-7.
Up Next
The Women's volleyball team has an early start tomorrow as they take on the Bloodhounds of John Jay College at 10 AM, followed by a 12 PM start time against Scarlet Raptors of Rutgers-Camden. This will conclude the squads time at the Buttermaker Tournament.
