SAN ANTONIO, TX – The Johns Hopkins volleyball team opened action at the Trinity Fall Classic on Friday, facing a pair of nationally ranked opponents inside the Bell Center. The Blue Jays battled 13th-ranked Washington University falling, 3-1 (25-14, 25-20, 22-25, 25-12), before closing the day against third-ranked Trinity, 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-21). Hopkins moves to 3-5 on the season.
Match 1: Johns Hopkins 1, WashU 3
The Bears (6-2) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening set before an
Ivy Swafford kill put the Blue Jays on the board. Hopkins settled in and pulled within two, 11-9, following a kill from
Celine Ebert, but WashU answered with an 8-2 run to take a 19-11 advantage.
Following a Hopkins timeout, Swafford provided a spark with back-to-back points, recording an ace and a kill to cut the deficit to 19-13. The Bears, however, closed out the set, 25-14.
The Blue Jays came out strong in the second, with neither team holding more than a two-point advantage early. Three consecutive kills, including two from Ebert and one from Swafford, gave Hopkins a 12-10 lead. The teams continued to trade points before WashU took a 21-18 advantage and closed the set, 25-20, to take a 2-0 lead.
Hopkins responded in the third set. After
Bethany Sherwood evened the score at 2-2 with a kill, the Bears opened a 7-2 advantage and later led 12-6. The Blue Jays battled back, using a four-point run sparked by an
Emily Overtoom kill to pull within one, 13-12. A Swafford kill then put Hopkins in front, 15-14.
The Blue Jays continued to build momentum, scoring four straight points to take a 23-18 lead before
Josephine Kinlan closed out the set with back-to-back kills, giving Hopkins a 25-22 victory and extending the match.
WashU answered in the fourth, taking a 7-2 lead. Swafford's kill brought Hopkins within three at 7-4, but the Bears regained control and pulled away to close out the set, 25-12, and the match, 3-1.
Swafford led the Blue Jays with a career-high 20 kills while also recording four aces.
Match 2: Johns Hopkins 0, Trinity (TX) 3
Third-ranked Trinity (7-1) opened the second match with a 5-0 run before an Overtoom kill brought Hopkins within two, 6-4. The Tigers responded with six straight points to take a 12-4 advantage.
Hopkins battled back with a 4-0 run, highlighted by consecutive Kinlan kills, to cut the margin to 12-8. Trinity, however, regained control and pulled away late to take the opening set, 25-15.
The Blue Jays answered with an early push in the second set. After Trinity took a 4-1 lead, consecutive kills from Overtoom and Swafford evened the score at 4-4. A block from Swafford and
Jordan Price then gave Hopkins a 7-5 advantage.
The Tigers responded with a 6-0 run to take an 11-7 lead. Hopkins continued to battle, with Kinlan helping spark a three-point run that trimmed the deficit to 18-15, but Trinity held on for a 25-20 set victory.
Hopkins kept the third set close from the outset, trading points with the Tigers before an
Annika Anderson kill gave the Blue Jays a 12-11 lead. Price and Swafford followed with consecutive kills to push the advantage to 14-12.
Trinity answered with six straight points to reclaim the lead, 19-15. Hopkins continued to battle late, but the Tigers closed out the set, 25-21, to take the match, 3-0.
Overtoom paced the Blue Jays with seven kills while hitting .583 for the match.
The Blue Jays conclude action at the Trinity Fall Classic on Saturday, September 19, taking on St. Thomas (TX) at 1:15 p.m. CT inside the Bell Center.
Gallery: (9-18-2026) Volleyball vs. WashU
