BALTIMORE, MD – The sixth-ranked Johns Hopkins volleyball team opened the 2025 NCAA Tournament in commanding fashion on Thursday evening, sweeping Stevenson, 3-0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-14), inside a lively Goldfarb Gymnasium. With the victory, the Blue Jays keep their postseason run alive and advance to Friday's Regional Semifinal, where they will face William Smith with a spot in the Regional Championship on the line.
 
Hopkins wasted no time establishing control in the opening set, racing out to an early 8-3 cushion behind aggressive swings from Michela De Marzi, Jocelyn Pye and Celine Ebert. A five-point surge—punctuated by a well-formed block from Alice Yu and Helena Swaak—extended the margin to 13-5. Back-to-back swings from Simone Adam pushed the lead into double digits, 17-7. Swaak's steady serving produced another five-point run, including a pair of aces, to give Hopkins full command at 22-9. Ebert delivered the set-winning kill to close out a dominant first frame, 25-13.
 
The Blue Jays again started strong in set two, jumping ahead 6-3 and maintaining at least a three-point lead the rest of the way. Stevenson managed to stay within striking distance, but a decisive Ebert kill stretched the lead to 17-10 and halted the Mustangs' momentum. Adam took over late, dumping set point before burying another kill to seal the 25-19 win and push Hopkins ahead 2-0. The second set also featured a career milestone, as Swaak recorded her 1,000th career dig.
 
Hopkins continued to apply pressure in the third. De Marzi and Swaak teamed up for an early stuff block to make it 3-0, setting the tone for a front-row unit that controlled the net throughout the evening. After a brief exchange of sideouts, the Blue Jays strung together three- and four-point bursts to build an 11-4 advantage, fueled by kills from Pye, Ebert and De Marzi. De Marzi later added a solo block—one of several momentum-shifting plays—to extend the lead to 18-9. A Nicole Tuszynski service ace set up match point at 24-13, and a Stevenson error secured the sweep, 25-14.
 
Defensively, Tuszynski anchored the back row with a match-high 16 digs. De Marzi headlined a dominant blocking effort with six total blocks, while Swaak (3) and Yu (2) combined for five more. Offensively, Adam led all players with 13 kills on an efficient .429 hitting percentage, pacing a Hopkins attack that never allowed Stevenson to settle into rhythm.
 
The Blue Jays return to the court Friday, November 21, for the Regional Semifinal against William Smith. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m. inside Goldfarb Gymnasium.

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