BALTIMORE, MD – The Johns Hopkins volleyball team hosted Muhlenberg College in a Centennial Conference matchup Saturday afternoon, handling the Mules 3-0 (25-16, 25-14, 25-18) in front of the home crowd. The Blue Jays also honored their six graduating members at the conclusion of the contest.
Danielle Norman led the way for Hopkins (14-3, 3-0 Centennial) on her senior day, tallying a game and season-high 13 kills on .565 hitting percentage — the highest mark of her career in a match where she attempted at least 20 attacks. Rounding out Saturday's top attackers were
Simrin Carlsen (12),
Chidinma Onukwugha (6) and
Eloise Estrada (5).
Lida King finished the match with a team-high 16 assists to pair with three service aces, while
Grace Reininga racked up a team-high 13 digs followed by
Helena Swaak (9) and
Elizabeth Hsieh (7).
The Jays opened up Saturday's first set with kills from Norman and Carlsen as well as a Hsieh ace to go ahead 3-0, but a 6-1 run by the visitors put Muhlenberg (10-7, 0-3 Centennial) up 6-4. The game was tied at seven before Hopkins slowly began to pull away, going up 14-11 before a timely 5-1 run made it a seven-point set. From there kills by
Pamela Chiakpo, Onukwugha and Norman continued to grow the lead before an attack error gave the Jays the first set 25-16.
Set 2 saw the Mules once again take an early lead at 6-3 before Hopkins started its climb back. A 6-1 run to spring ahead 9-7. The Jays' advantage stayed at two until the score was 12-10 and Hopkins used a 10-0 run that featured kills from Chiakpo, Norman and Onukwugha as well as two aces from King to take a commanding 22-10 lead. The Mules attempted a comeback, but Hopkins' lead was too much, with a kill from
Alice Yu closing the second set 25-14.
Saturday's final set was the Jays' most complete effort, as Hopkins hit .323 while holding Muhlenberg to a hitting percentage of just .034. It was also the first set in which the Jays never trailed, opening the stanza with a 7-1 run. The lead grew to 19-10, but a 7-1 run from the visitors quickly closed the gap to 20-17. Unphased, Hopkins ended the set and match with a 5-1 that was finished by Norman's 13
th kill.
The Jays continue their stretch of Centennial Conference matches next week when they face off against Haverford Saturday, Oct. 14, with opening serve set for 1 p.m.
