BRYN MAWR, PA – The Johns Hopkins volleyball team carried its recent momentum into Centennial Conference play Saturday afternoon, earning a straight-set victory over Bryn Mawr, 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-19), inside the Class of 1958 Gymnasium. The Blue Jays have now won five straight matches and improve to 8-5 overall and 1-0 in conference play.
Hopkins had to battle for the opening set after jumping out to an early 6-1 advantage. Bryn Mawr (5-7, 0-2 CC) rallied to take an 18-17 lead and later appeared poised to claim the set with a 23-21 advantage. The Blue Jays responded when it mattered most, closing the frame with four consecutive points, including a pair of kills from
Anna Pantano, to take a 1-0 lead.
The Blue Jays carried that composure into the second set, overcoming an early 7-7 tie with a 6-1 run to take control. Hopkins maintained its advantage throughout the remainder of the set, but the Owls continued to battle, twice pulling within two points late. A block from
Bethany Sherwood and
Jocelyn Pye gave the Blue Jays the final point and a 25-22 win, putting Hopkins one set away from a conference-opening victory.
Hopkins left little doubt in the third. Four straight kills from Pye and
Emily Overtoom helped the Blue Jays race to a 6-1 lead, and after Bryn Mawr repeatedly cut into the deficit, Hopkins answered with an 8-3 run midway through the set to build a 22-15 advantage. The Owls managed a brief three-point run, but Pye closed out the match with her final kill of the afternoon, securing the Blue Jays' fifth consecutive victory.
Overtoom led all players with 11 kills, while
Annika Anderson directed the Hopkins offense with 21 assists. Sherwood paced the Blue Jays at the net with three blocks, and Pantano and
Nicole Tuszynski each recorded a team-high seven digs.
The Blue Jays return to action Wednesday, October 7, traveling to Carlisle, Pa., to face Dickinson in Centennial Conference action. First serve is set for 7 p.m. inside the Kline Center.
