BALTIMORE, MD – The ninth-ranked Johns Hopkins volleyball team swept Stevens to win its season opener in front of a packed Goldfarb Gym Friday night at the Greg "Gio" Giovanazzi Memorial Tournament.
 
The first set was hotly contested with the Blue Jays pulling out a 25-23 win. The Ducks led in the early going, jumping out to a 5-2 lead. The teams battled as Stevens pushed out to a 13-11 lead. Hopkins used a Stevens' error to spark an 8-1 run, capped by an Alice Yu to put the Blue Jays up 19-14. The Ducks answered with a run of their own and tied the set at 23-all. Hopkins retook the lead on a Chidinma Onukwugha kill and then claimed the set on a Stevens error.
 
With the second set tied 5-5, the Blue Jays used a 5-1 spurt to go up 10-6, prompting a Ducks' timeout. The teams went back and forth and Hopkins led 16-12. Hopkins then quickly pushed its lead to 19-12 with three straight points. Stevens came out of another timeout with back-to-back points pull within five. The Blue Jays then won six of the final eight points to grab the second set, 25-16. Simone Adams ended the set with a service ace
 
Trailing 7-4 early in the third set, the Blue Jays settled in after a Matt Troy timeout. A Yu kill sparked a six-point run that saw Hopkins take a 10-7 lead. The teams traded points and JHU led 14-12. It was all Hopkins from there as the Blue Jays scored 11 of the final 14 points to take the third set, 25-15.
 
Adam led the Blue Jays with a match-high 16 kills in her collegiate debut. Junior Lida King had a match-high 19 assists while freshman Helena Swaak added 14 and seven digs. Sophomore Simrin Carlsen had a team-best 10 digs to go with nine kills and three aces.
 
Hopkins is back in action on Saturday, September 3 against St. John Fisher (12:30 pm) and Marymount (5:30 pm).  
 
Notes: This was Johns Hopkins 55^th straight regular season win • The Blue Jays have now won four straight in the series to improve to 4-1 all-time against the Ducks.