CHESTERTOWN, MD – The Johns Hopkins volleyball team continued its recent momentum Wednesday night, earning a 3-0 sweep (25-16, 25-14, 25-23) of Washington College inside Penny J. Fall Gym. The Blue Jays pulled away in the first two sets after competitive openings before holding off a late Shorewomen push in the third to secure their third straight win. With the victory, Hopkins improves to 13-7 overall and 5-2 in Centennial Conference play.
Washington College kept the opening set close early, taking an 8-5 lead before Hopkins found its rhythm. Sparked by a pair of
Ella Wismer kills, the Blue Jays rattled off 12 consecutive points to turn the deficit into a commanding 17-8 advantage. Hopkins maintained control from there, with a
Jocelyn Pye kill closing out the set, 25-16.
The second set followed a similar script, with the team's trading points through the early stages before Hopkins began to create separation. A three-point run capped by a Pye ace gave the Blue Jays a 12-8 lead, and consecutive kills from
Ivy Swafford and Pye helped extend the advantage to 19-11. Hopkins continued to build on its momentum, using a late 6-2 run sparked by a
Celine Ebert kill to close out the set, 25-14, and take a 2-0 match lead.
Washington College responded in the third, jumping out to a 7-3 lead and forcing the Blue Jays to rally. Hopkins answered behind two more Wismer kills to even the score at 8-8, setting up a back-and-forth battle down the stretch.
After the Shorewomen moved ahead 16-13, Swafford helped swing the momentum with a four-point Hopkins run that put the Blue Jays back in front, 17-16. Washington College briefly reclaimed the lead, but Hopkins responded with four straight points, capped by a
Sami Hockers service ace, to move ahead 22-19. The Shorewomen continued to battle, but a service error on Washington College's side gave Hopkins the final point in a 25-23 set victory and sealed the sweep.
Swafford led all players with 13 kills, while Wismer added nine kills while hitting an outstanding .818 and paced the Blue Jays with three blocks.
Annika Anderson and Hockers shared match-high honors with 19 assists apiece, while
Nicole Tuszynski anchored the defense with 15 digs, limiting Washington College to a .127 hitting percentage.
The Blue Jays return to action Saturday, October 31, when they host Haverford for Senior Day. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. inside Goldfarb Gymnasium.
