The Basics 
• Scores: #1 Johns Hopkins-3, Springfield-0 (25-17, 25-10, 28-26)
• Records: #1 Johns Hopkins (31-0), Springfield (23-8)
• Location: Baltimore, MD • Goldfarb Gymnasium
• The Short Story: The top-ranked and unbeaten Johns Hopkins volleyball team defeated Springfield in straight sets, advancing to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen on Sunday afternoon. 

How it Happened
Set One
• Johns Hopkins jumped ahead by as many as nine en route to a 25-17 first set victory over Springfield.

• The Springfield offense put up a great fight in the first set, hitting .379 with 12 kills on 29 swings. However, the Blue Jay offense was even better, hitting .471 with 19 kills on 34 swings. 

• Simone Bliss led the way with six kills in the first set. Lauren Anthony was a force for the Blue Jays as well, totaling five kills for Hopkins. 

• Leading 11-8, JHU used a 10-4 run to put the set out of reach. Bliss had three kills and an ace during the run. 

Set Two
• Set two was a much more comfortable one for Johns Hopkins. Springfield's offense was out of sorts, hitting a negative percentage for the set and falling 25-10. 

• JHU led by scores of 9-3, 15-4 and 18-5 in set number two, never letting Springfield believe they were in the set even for a moment. Bliss had four kills for the Jays while Danielle Norman added three. 

• The Blue Jays hit .281 in the set, needing just 12 kills to reach the 25 points with a tough offensive set for the Pride. 

Set Three
• What a battle it was in set number three between the Pride and the Blue Jays. Springfield led for much of the set, pushing JHU to the brink before Hopkins prevailed to avoid a fourth set. 

• Springfield got on the Jays early as Matt Troy's team made some uncharacteristic errors, falling behind 8-3. The Pride led by as many as six before a 6-1 Blue Jay run put them back within one at 13-12. 

• Both teams traded points back-and-forth before an ace from Anthony tied the contest at 20. Eleni Panagopoulos put down a kill to put JHU on top for the first time in the set. 

• Springfield ended the run to tie it, but a kill from Bliss once again gave Hopkins the lead at 22-21. Natalie Billet added a kill to tie it for the Pride, but continuing with the theme, Hopkins took the next point to make it 23-22. 

• Billet and Kylie Wixted earned back-to-back kills for Springfield and just like that they led 24-23 with set point. A Panagopoulos kill tied it at 24 and an attack error on the Pride gave Hopkins match point for the first time. Jamie Albrecht combined with Billet for a block, tying things at 25 all. 

• Norman put down a kill for Hopkins, but a service error from Sydney Portale brought us back to a tie once more. Anthony and Bliss went back-to-back finally ending the match for the Blue Jays with a 28-26 third set win. 

What it Means
• Johns Hopkins improves to 31-0 on the year and extends its NCAA Division III record for consecutive wins to 66. Hopkins is now just four wins from tying the second-longest win streak in NCAA Women's Volleyball history. 

• The Jays will play the Jumbos of Tufts for a trip to the Elite Eight in St. Louis, MO. 

Inside the Box Score
• Bliss (14 kills) and Anthony (10 kills) led the Blue Jay offense. Bliss hit .414 from the outside while Anthony hit .353 from the middle. Panagopoulos continued to attack with incredible efficiency, adding six kills on a .750 hitting percentage. 

• Senior Natalie Aston picked up 41 assists on 47 Blue Jay kills. The senior has 40 or more assists in three different three-set matches in 2021. 

• Following a theme from yesterday, the Blue Jay defense tightened up after allowing a strong hitting percentage in the first set. Springfield hit just .149 for the match after hitting .379 in the opening set. 

Up Next
• Johns Hopkins will play Tufts in the third round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, November 14 at 2 pm in Goldfarb Gymnasium.
 
Be sure to follow the Blue Jays all season long on Twitter (@JHUVB) and on Instagram (@johnshopkinsvolleyball).