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Hopewell Pushes Class 5A Montour to the Limit in Five-Set Thriller

by vikingssportsn
written by vikingssportsn 7 minutes read

Hopewell Twp – Good volleyball programs aren’t built by avoiding difficult competition. They’re built by seeking it out, challenging themselves against stronger opponents, and learning what it takes to compete at the next level.

That was exactly the opportunity Hopewell (6-7 / 5-4) embraced in its non-section matchup against Class 5A Montour. In a back-and-forth battle, Hopewell proved it could compete with the bigger-school Spartans, pushing Montour to five sets before ultimately
falling 3-2.

The Vikings came out strong in the opening set, with Mikayla Kurta, Ariana Fischer, Hannah McDowell and Addison Blosnick providing early offense. Teagen Murray directed the attack, while Avery Boyd contributed several key plays at the net. Hopewell built a 17-15 advantage before Montour rallied to take a 22-20 lead. The Vikings battled back behind a powerful Blosnick kill and strong serving from Marina Pinchotti, tying the score at 23. Hopewell fought off two set points, but the Spartans ultimately escaped with a hard-fought 26-24 victory.

Hopewell responded with an impressive second set, building a 14-6 lead behind strong serving from Cici Smetana and powerful attacks from McDowell and Blosnick. Montour battled back, eventually taking a 25-24 lead, but the Vikings refused to fold. Marina Pinchotti delivered an ace to give Hopewell set point before another strong serve forced a Montour error, securing a thrilling 27-25 victory.

Montour regained control in the third set despite several strong kills from McDowell and consecutive attacks from Jiselle Cain. The Spartans pulled away late for a 25-19 win.

Facing elimination, Hopewell delivered another strong performance in the fourth. Boyd and Fischer combined for a block, while McDowell and Blosnick continued finding success offensively. The Vikings built an 18-12 advantage before holding off a late Montour rally to capture the set, 25-20, forcing a decisive fifth.

The final set provided the evening’s most dramatic moments.


Montour jumped ahead 12-4, putting Hopewell on the brink of defeat. But the Vikings weren’t finished. Behind a tremendous serving run from Smetana, Hopewell began chipping away. Strong defensive plays from Fischer and Murray, a back-row attack from McDowell, and several Montour errors helped the Vikings close the gap.

Smetana delivered an ace, tying the score at 12 and completing an incredible eight-point rally. Blosnick answered a Montour point with a kill to tie the score at 13, and Kurta delivered another clutch kill to erase match point at 14-14. However, the Spartans secured the final two points to escape with a 16-14 victory.

George's Family Restaurant

Established in 1986, family owned and serving the Beaver County community for over 40 years. Serving breakfast favorites and lunch specials.

Despite the loss, the Vikings showed exactly why challenging higher-classification opponents is valuable. Hopewell took two sets from a Class 5A program, battled through adversity, and nearly completed an improbable fifth-set comeback. With the postseason approaching, these are the types of matches that help build successful programs. The Vikings may not have walked away with the victory, but they gained valuable experience that could prove just as important in the weeks ahead.

Hopewell has three section matchups remaining in the regular season, beginning tonight at Beaver Falls, followed by a home showdown with Avonworth on Thursday, October 16, and a trip to Ellwood City on Tuesday, October 20.

Thursday’s matchup will also serve as Senior Night, as the Vikings honor their four seniors for their dedication and contributions to the program. Be sure to clear your schedule and come out to celebrate these four young ladies while supporting the Vikings in what promises to be an exciting battle against a very worthy Avonworth program.

Here’s a play-by-play recap of the night:
Set #1
1-1 Mikayla Kurta get Hopewell started with a block
2-1 Montour with a wide return
3-3 Avery Boyd with nice touch on a tip shot
4-3 Ariana Fischer flips one over for a point
5-3 Kurta with an ace
6-4 Hannah McDowell drills a hit that Montour blocks out. Teagen Murray with the set
7-7 Fischer with a strong kill to the corner
8-7 Cici Smetana on the serve. Montour with an error
9-7 Addison Blosnick with a hard kill off a beautiful set from Murray
10-10 Fischer buries another kill
11-11 Blosnick with another huge swing
12-13 Murray with the dump to the middle for a point
13-13 Murray with a nice serve forcing the error
14-13 McDowell with a great kill to the corner after a nice rally
15-15 Kurta drops a kill for a point
16-15 Kurta with a great serve. Fischer hammers the overpass
17-15 Kurta with another nice serve forcing an error. Timeout Montour
18-17 A good read by Marina Pinchotti on a long serve from Montour
19-17 Boyd with a block at the net
20-19 Boyd with a nice hit forcing the error
20-20 Montour ties it back up
20-21 Montour grabs the lead on an error
20-22 Montour tips one to the middle, Timeout Hopewell.
21-23 Blosnick with a massive swing on a kill to the backrow
22-23 Pinchotti on the serve, Montour with an error
23-23 Hopewell ties it up on a net error.
23-24 Montour grabs a late lead, Timeout Hopewell.
24-24 Montour with a serving error
24-25 Montour grabs the lead
24-26 Montour grabs Set #1

Set #2
1-0 Kurta with a kill to the corner
2-0 Boyd with a kill off the Murray set
3-3 Kurta blasts one through the block for a kill
4-3 Kurta with an ace
5-3 McDowell drops the overpass straight to the floor
9-6 Smetana with an ace
10-6 McDowell with a nice backrow kill
11-6 Smetana with another ace
12-6 Blosnick with a big swing. Montour in the net. Timeout Spartans
14-6 Smetana on a roll serving
14-11 Montour on a run. Timeout Hopewell to try and slow them down.
15-12 Blosnick with a big swing for a much-needed kill
15-15 Montour ties it up
16-15 Pinchotti with a good read on a long serve
17-15 McDowell with a big swing on an overpass, leading to an error
18-17 McDowell with a great cross-court kill
19-17 McDowell with a fade away kill to the middle
20-17 Kurta with a heads up shot to the middle. Timeout Montour.
21-17 Murray with the serve, forcing the error from Montour
22-18 Boyd with a desperation dig early, and the Kurta with an awesome block
23-19 Beautiful pass from Tessa Burgess, that Murray sets for Fischer to kill
23-23 Montour with a furious comeback to tie it up
24-24 Montour ties it back up
24-25 Montour gets to set point
25-25 Hopewell ties it up
26-25 Pinchotti with an ace
27-25 Pinchotti with another serve, that Montour returns wide. Set #2 goes to Hopewell.

Set #3
1-1 Hopewell on the board as McDowell hammers a kill through the block
2-2 A beautiful sequence. Burgess pass to Murray setting McDowell for the kill
3-4 Good read by Pinchotti on a long serve
4-4 McDowell on the serve, Fischer drops the overpass for a point
5-7 Another long serve from Montour stops the run
6-9 Montour with an error

7-9 Pinchotti on the serve. With a nice dig later in the rally that Montour returns wide
8-10 Kurta with a strong play at the net, forcing a long return
9-10 Burgess on the serve, Montour with the error
10-12 Montour serving error
11-12 Pinchotti with a great pass to Murray setting McDowell for the kill
12-15 McDowell with a big block to stop a Montour run
13-15 Jiselle Cain with a great kill to the back corner
14-16 Cain with another shot to the back line on the overpass
16-18 McDowell pushes one to the back corner for a point
16-20 Montour creating a little distance in Set #3
16-21 Timeout Hopewell
16-22 Smetana with an awesome save, but Montour gets the point
17-22 Montour with a long return
18-22 McDowell with a great pass to Murray, setting Blosnick for a big hit
19-23 Blosnick with another big kill
19-24 Montour gets to set point on a shot to the corner
19-25 Montour wins Set #3

Set #4
1-0 Kurta gets Hopewell on the board with a kill to the middle
2-1 McDowell with a big swing on a right-side kill
3-1 Kurta on the serve, forcing a Montour error
4-2 Boyd is blocked on the first shot, but hits the rebound to the back corner for a point
5-2 McDowell on the serve, then with a backrow kill
6-3 Boyd and Fischer team up for a great block
7-4 A nice defensive play from Hopewell, forces an error
8-6 Smetana with a great dig to Murray, setting McDowell for the kill
8-8 Montour ties it up on a block
9-9 Kurta with a big kill, inside the 10-foot line
10-10 McDowell with a great kill from the right side
11-11 Serving errors by both teams
12-11 McDowell with a lazer serve, forcing the error
13-11 McDowell with another great serve
14-11 Blosnick with a great down ball for a point. Timeout Montour
15-11 Boyd powers a hit through the block
16-12 Boyd with another big swing for a kill to the backrow
17-12 Smetana on the serve. Montour error
18-12 Hopewell extends their lead on a long return
19-13 Blosnick with another nice kill. Great set from Murray
20-15 Blosnick powers another hit through the block
21-16 Pinchotti with a great read on a long serve
21-19 Montour clawing their way back. Hopewell Timeout.
22-19 Another great read by Pinchotti on a long serve
24-20 Blosnick gets Hopewell to set point after a great rally. Timeout Montour.
25-20 Hopewell wins Set #4, on to the 5 th !

Set #5
1-2 McDowell with a kill to get Hopewell on the board after a 2-0 Montour start
2-3 Burgess with an excellent pass that Boyd pushes to the back corner
3-3 Boyd rejects an overpass to tie it up
3-6 Montour grabs an early lead. Timeout Hopewell
4-7 Montour with a serving error
4-10 Montour extending their lead
4-12 2 more points forcing another Hopewell Timeout
5-12 Montour serves one long
6-12 Smetana on the serve, error by Montour
7-12 Nice defense at the net by Fischer & Murray. Timeout Montour
8-12 McDowell with a backrow hit. Montour error on the return
9-12 Fischer drops an overpass for a point
10-12 Smetana on the serve, long return by Montour
11-12 Another long return from Montour. Hopewell digging deep. Timeout Spartans.
12-12 Smetana with an ace. Tie game late!
12-13 Montour grabs a point on an error
13-13 Blosnick gets it right back on a kill
13-14 Montour takes the lead on a big swing, getting to Match point.
14-14 Kurta hits one through the block to tie it back up
14-15 Montour grabs the lead back on a shot to the middle. Match point again
14-16 Montour finishes out Set #5 for the win.

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Hopewell HS Girls Volleyball

Hopewell JV Falls to Riverside in Three Sets

by vikingssportsn
written by vikingssportsn 4 minutes read

HOPEWELL TWP. – The Hopewell Junior Varsity squad (7-5) battled back from a difficult opening set Wednesday night, but couldn’t complete the comeback, falling to Riverside in three sets, 25-12, 22-25, and 15-5.

Riverside jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in the opener, forcing Hopewell to play from behind early. Alyssa Phillips and Lillian Otto provided much of the Vikings; offense with Otto delivering several kills off sets from Brooke Otto. Sophia Catanzarite and Abby Babinsack also contributed kills, but Riverside controlled the set throughout, cruising to a 25-12 victory.

Hopewell responded with a much stronger performance in the second set. Lillian Otto delivered a pair of early kills, while Bella Cipolla sparked a serving run that helped the Vikings turn an 8-8 tie into an 11-8 advantage. Ava Ray contributed a well-placed kill to the back corner and an ace, while Babinsack added a powerful kill through the block as the team’s traded points through the middle of the set.

With the score tied at 19, Hopewell began to pull away. Ellie McCoy made a heads-up play at the net, while strong defensive communication helped the Vikings build a 22-19 advantage. Cipolla added a crucial ace to reach set point, then delivered two excellent passes during the final rally before Phillips finished it with a kill, giving Hopewell the 25-22 victory.

Unfortunately, the momentum didn’t carry into the deciding third set. Phillips opened with a kill off a Brooke Otto set, but Riverside quickly established control, jumping ahead 4-1 and eventually extending its lead to 12-4. The Panthers closed out the set, 15-5, to secure the match.
Phillips and Lillian Otto led the offensive effort, while Brooke Otto helped direct the attack. Cipolla provided a strong performance from the service line and defensively, particularly during Hopewell’s second-set victory.

George's Family Restaurant

Established in 1986, family owned and serving the Beaver County community for over 40 years. Serving breakfast favorites and lunch specials.

With the regular season winding down, the Vikings will look to build on their second set performance and find stronger starts. Tuesday’s comeback showed their resilience, but consistently playing from behind is a tough challenge. Lots reps are coming though as the Junior Varsity team returns to play on Saturday 10/10 at the South Fayette Tournament before playing 3 matches next week (vs Montour 10/12, @ Beaver Falls 10/13 vs Avonworth 10/15).

Here’s a play-by-play recap from tonight:
Set #1
1-5 Hopewell finally on the board after a slow start. Alyssa Philips with a kill
2-6 Lillian Otto with a kill. Liliana Katcher with a nice pass to Brooke Otto’s set
3-7 Otto with another kill. Sam Holsinger with a great pass.
5-9 Sophia Catanzarite with a big swing for a kill after a great rally
6-9 Lillian Otto on the serve, Philips with the kill.
7-10 Philips with another kill off the Otto set
8-15 A great back and forth rally ends with a Riverside point.
8-16 Timeout Hopewell
8-20 Riverside in control of Set #1
9-21 Babinsack hits one through the block for a kill
10-22 Geanna Disantis with a great dig off a serve that finds the floor
11-24 A net error by Riverside
12-24 Brooke Otto on the serve. A nice pass up from Katcher
12-25 Riverside wins Set #1 convincingly

Set #2
1-2 Riverside with a wide return to get Hopewell on the board
2-3 Riverside with a serving error
3-5 Katcher with a great pass.
4-5 Brooke Otto with an ace
5-5 Lillian Otto with the kill. Ray with a great pass to start it.
6-6 Lillian Otto hammers a right side kill through the block
7-8 Riverside with a serving error
8-8 Bella Cipolla with an ace
9-8 Philips with the kill off Otto’s set.
10-8 Cipolla with another ace
11-8 Cipolla hot from the serving line forcing the error
12-10 Ray with a great shot to the back corner for a kill
13-10 Brooke Otto with a great play at the net
14-10 Ray with an ace
14-11 Riverside gets the point, but awesome effort from Hopewell’s defense
14-14 Tied up
14-15 Riverside on a run grabbing the lead. Timeout Hopewell
15-15 Babinsack powers one through the block for a kill
16-15 Hopewell back in front
16-16 Tied up again
17-17 Back and forth in the 2 nd set
18-17 Holsinger on the serve, net error from Riverside
18-18 Tied up again
19-18 A long serve from Riverside
19-19 Tied up again
20-19 McCoy with a heads-up play at the net
21-19 Lillian Otto on the serve, error from Riverside on the return
22-19 Excellent defensive communication from Hopewell leads to a long return
23-21 Riverside with a serving error stopping a late run
24-21 Cipolla with an ace
25-22 Cipolla with 2 great passes on that rally. Philips ends it with a kill. On to Set #3

Set #3
1-0 Philips with a great dig that Otto sets right back to her for a kill
1-4 Riverside jumps out early, forcing a Hopewell timeout
2-4 Riverside with a long return
3-5 A great read on the back line by Katcher and Cipolla on a long return
4-7 McCoy with a nice hit at the net
4-12 Riverside on a run
5-12 Riverside with a long return for a much-needed Hopewell point
5-14 Riverside gets to match point on a Hopewell overpass
5-15 Riverside takes Set #3 and the Match

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Hopewell HS Girls Volleyball

Hopewell Falls to Riverside in Straight Sets

by vikingssportsn
written by vikingssportsn 4 minutes read

HOPEWELL TWP. – Hopewell (6-6 / 5-4) struggled to find enough consistency Wednesday night, falling to Riverside in straight sets, 28-26, 25-14, and 25-23.

The opening set was the most competitive of the evening, with both teams trading points throughout. Mikayla Kurta, Ariana Fischer, and Addison Blosnick provided much of Hopewell’s offense, while Teagan Murray helped the Vikings build a 15-12 advantage from the service line.
Hopewell appeared positioned to take the opener after a Blosnick kill and Riverside error gave the Vikings a 24-22 lead. However, the Panthers impressively fought off three Hopewell set points before eventually taking the set, 28-26.

Riverside carried that momentum into the second set, jumping ahead 8-3 and controlling play at the net. Hopewell struggled to generate consistent offense against the Panthers blocking, falling behind by as many as ten points before dropping the set, 25-14.

The Vikings responded with a much better start in the third, led by Hannah McDowell, who delivered several early kills and an ace to help Hopewell build a 10-4 advantage. However, Riverside chipped away at the lead, eventually tying the score at 15 before moving ahead 19-16. Hopewell battled back behind a block from Avery Boyd and timely kills from Fischer and Kurta, eventually evening the score at 23.

Once again though, Riverside continued to respond, claiming the final two points to complete the sweep. McDowell, Kurta, Fischer, Boyd, and Blosnick all contributed offensively, but Riverside proved to be the stronger team on this night.

With the postseason quickly approaching, the Vikings are entering an important stretch of their schedule next week. The focus now shifts toward putting together more complete performances, building momentum, and finding their best volleyball when it matters most.
Hopewell returns to play on Monday night 10/12, with a home non-section matchup vs Montour, then heads on the road for a section matchup with Beaver Falls on Tuesday 10/13.

Here’s the play-by-play recap from tonight:
Set #1
1-2 Hopewell on the board on a Riverside serving error
2-2 Hannah McDowell tips one over forcing the error
3-3 Mikayla Kurta hammers a kill through the block
4-3 Kurta on the serve, forcing a Riverside error
5-3 Ariana Fischer blasts an overpass for a point
6-4 McDowell hits one through the block for a kill
7-4 Fischer nicely places a kill on the side
8-7 Fischer with another shot to the middle to stop a run
9-7 Addison Blosnick with a nice play at the net
10-10 Blosnick with a big swing for a kill. Teagan Murray with the set.
11-11 Kurta with a nice tip. Blosnick with a great dig early in the sequence.
12-12 Tied up again, back and forth so far.
13-12 Murray with an ace
14-12 Tessa Burgess with a great read on a long return
15-12 Murray continuing the great serves, forcing the error
15-15 Riverside ties it back up
16-16 Burgess with another nice read on a long shot
17-18 Boyd hammers an overpass to the back corner
18-18 McDowell with a great serve, Fischer waiting on the overpass for a kill
19-20 Boyd with a right-side kill
20-20 Cici Smetana on the serve, forcing the error. Tied up again
21-22 Smetana with a great read on a long serve
22-22 Marina Pinchotti on the serve
23-22 Blosnick with a huge kill through the block
24-22 Smetana with a great read on a wide shot. Hopewell set point
24-24 Riverside fights back to tie it up
25-24 Kurta buries a kill. Hopewell back on set point.
25-25 Riverside fights off another one
25-26 Riverside gets to set point, timeout Hopewell
26-26 Kurta with a big kill. Great set from Murray
26-27 Riverside gets to set point again, timeout Hopewell
26-28 Riverside takes a very entertaining Set #1

Set #2
1-1 McDowell tips one for a point to get Hopewell started
2-3 Boyd with a great kill. Kurta running interference with the decoy swing
3-8 Riverside creating early distance
4-8 Boyd with a big kill for a point
5-9 Fischer flips one over causing the error
5-11 Riverside with a block at the net. Giving Hopewell hitters trouble. Timeout Vikings
6-14 Kurta slams an overpass for a much-needed point
7-14 Burgess on the serve. Riverside with a wide return
8-14 Riverside with another error
9-15 Murray with tip at the net, that Riverside blocks wide
9-19 Riverside continuing to pull away
10-19 Kurta with a block grabbing a point
11-20 Murray with a dump forcing an error
12-22 Boyd pushes one to the corner for a point
13-24 Riverside with a long serve
14-24 Pinchotti with an ace
14-25 Riverside closes out Set #2

Set #3
1-0 McDowell hammers a kill to get it started
2-1 McDowell with a shot that just catches a backrow hand
3-3 Riverside with a serving error
4-3 Kurta with a nice serve, McDowell drops the over pass to the floor
5-3 A flurry of back-and-forth shots ends with Hopewell point
6-4 Great read by McDowell on a push to the back corner
7-4 McDowell with a sharp free ball finding the floor
8-4 Fischer with a nice kill of the slide set from Murray
9-4 McDowell with an ace
10-4 Blosnick hammers a kill to the back
10-5 Best rally of the night. Ends with a Riverside point, but awesome effort.
11-6 Boyd with a kill to the middle
11-9 Riverside on a run, timeout Hopewell
12-9 McDowell pushes one and just catches the line
13-10 McDowell hits one through the block
14-10 Burgess on the serve, Riverside with a wide return
15-10 Kurta with a big block in the middle
15-14 Riverside coming back
15-15 Tied up in Set 3
16-17 Hopewell with the point off the Riverside error
16-19 Riverside extends the lead. Timeout Hopewell
17-19 Long return from Riverside ends the run
18-19 Kurta on the serve. A nice defensive
19-19 Boyd with a block at the net to tie it back up
19-22 Riverside jumps back in front
20-22 A great read from Burgess on a long serve
21-22 Fischer with a kill to the middle
22-23 Boyd with a shot for a kill
23-23 Another awesome rally. Murray with a great
23-24 Riverside gets to set point on a serving error
23-25 Riverside finishes out the match.

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Hopewell HS Girls Volleyball

Hopewell JV Rallies Past Quaker Valley in Three-Set Comeback

by vikingssportsn
written by vikingssportsn 4 minutes read

Hopewell, PA – Hopewell’s Junior Varsity Volleyball team (7-4) showed plenty of fight Tuesday night, rallying from a first-set loss and a second-set deficit to defeat Quaker Valley in three sets,
22-25, 25-21 and 15-8 during Hopewell’s Pink Out night.

The Vikings found themselves in an early 7-3 hole in the opening set before beginning to battle back. Lillian Otto helped spark the comeback with a kill off a wide set from Brooke Otto, then delivered back-to-back aces as Hopewell erased the deficit and tied the set at 10.
Hopewell continued to build momentum behind kills from Alyssa Phillips, Abby Babinsack and Otto, along with an Ava Ray ace, eventually taking a 20-15 advantage.

But Quaker Valley responded with a late run, tying the set at 20 before eventually moving in front. Lillian Otto’s kill fought off one set point, but QV closed out the opener, 25-22. Quaker Valley carried that momentum into the second set and opened a 9-4 advantage, putting
Hopewell in another early hole. This time, the Vikings completed the comeback. Ray contributed a kill and an ace, Bella Cipolla and Ray anchored the defense, while Brooke Otto mixed in a well-placed dump and later an ace as Hopewell slowly chipped away. Trailing 18-14,
the Vikings caught fire.


Hopewell scored five straight to take a 19-18 lead, with Ray tying the set on a down ball. Otto’s serving run included multiple aces and helped turn the four-point deficit into a 23-18 Hopewell advantage. Phillips eventually finished the 25-21 victory with a down ball to force a deciding third set.

Hopewell made sure it wouldn’t need another comeback in the finale.

The Vikings jumped ahead 3-0 and stretched the lead to 6-2 behind strong defense from Liliana Katcher and a block from Ellie McCoy. Brooke Otto followed with an ace, while Sam Holsinger kept another point alive with a strong dig that McCoy finished with a tip into the middle.
Phillips then helped put the match away, delivering consecutive kills as Hopewell stretched its advantage to 12-8. Quaker Valley never scored again, as the Vikings closed the match on a 4-0 run to take the deciding set, 15-8.

It was a resilient win for Hopewell, which had to respond twice, first after letting a late lead slip away in the opening set, and then after falling behind again in the second. Instead of allowing the first-set disappointment to carry over, the Vikings fought their way back into the match with strong defense and aggressive offense, saving their strongest volleyball for the finish. Hopewell is right back at it tomorrow, with Riverside coming to Hopewell.


Here’s the play-by-play recap:
Set #1
1-1 Ava Ray with a good read on a wide serve to get Hopewell started
2-1 Liliana Katcher with an ace
3-7 Quaker Valley on an early run, Timeout Hopewell
4-8 Lillian Otto hits one through the block for a kill off the wide set from Brooke Otto
5-8 Abby Babinsack on the serve, QV with a wide return
7-10 Otto with another big swing
9-10 Lillian Otto with back-to-back aces
10-10 Hopewell ties it up
11-10 Otto with another nice serve. Timeout Quaker Valley.
12-10 Otto with another ace out of the timeout
13-13 Quaker Valley
14-13 Alyssa Philips with the kill. Bella Cipolla with a nice pass forward
15-13 Ray with an ace
16-14 Babinsack with a kill off the Brooke Otto set.
17-14 Otto with a sharp cross-court kill
19-14 Katcher on a serving run, Otto continuing to hit strong outside. Timeout QV.
20-15 Otto with another kill.
20-19 QV coming back
20-20 Tied up
21-20 QV with a serving error
21-21 Tied up again
21-22 QV takes the lead. Timeout Hopewell
21-24 QV gets to set point
22-24 Otto with a kill to stay alive.
22-25 QV takes Set #1

Set #2
1-2 Babinsack with the kill off Otto’s set
2-2 Katcher on the serve, QV with an error
3-5 QV with an error, nice pass defensively from Cipolla
4-5 Ellie McCoy places a shot right to the middle for a point
4-9 QV extending their lead. Timeout Hopewell
5-9 QV with a long return to stop the run
6-10 Katcher with a good read on a long serve
7-10 Otto with an ace
9-12 Ray with a kill off Otto’s set. Excellent pass from Cipolla
10-12 Brooke Otto dumps one to the corner
11-12 Ray with an ace
13-16 Otto tips one over for a much-needed point
14-18 Katcher with a great pass, Otto with the kill.

15-18 Brooke Otto with an ace
16-18 QV with an error
17-18 Otto with an outside kill
18-18 Ray with a down ball for a point
19-18 Brooke Otto on a serving run. Hopewell retakes the lead. Timeout QV
20-18 Otto skims the net on a serve, forcing the error
21-18 Otto with an ace
23-18 Otto with another ace, 8 straight points off her serve. Another QV timeout.
24-20 QV with a wide serve.
25-21 Philips with a down ball to finish out Set #2

Set #3
1-0 Hopewell on the board early
2-0 Katcher serving, QV with a wide return.
3-0 QV with an error
4-1 Otto with the kill off Otto’s set. Ray with a great pass up.
6-2 Katcher with an excellent dig. McCoy blocks the return. Timeout QV
7-2 Brooke Otto with an ace
8-3 Sam Holsinger with a great dig that McCoy tips to the middle
9-6 A QV error stops a run
10-6 Philips flips on over causing the error
11-8 Phillips with a huge swing for a kill off Otto’s set
12-8 Ray on the serve, Phillips with another big kill. Timeout QV
13-8 QV with a wide return, good read by Cipolla
14-8 QV with a serving error giving Hopewell match point
15-8 Hopewell pulls off the comeback!

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Hopewell HS Girls Volleyball

Hopewell Sweeps Quaker Valley in Best Performance of Season

by vikingssportsn
written by vikingssportsn 5 minutes read

 HOPEWELL TWP- Hopewell (6-5 / 5-3) put together what Head Coach Terry Borkovic called its best volleyball match of the season Tuesday night, sweeping Quaker Valley in straight sets, 25-15, 25-16 and 25-22, in front of an energetic home crowd celebrating the annual Pink Out Night.

“Absolutely, we came together as a team and played our best volleyball match of the season,” Borkovic said. “I thought that we would be a tough team to beat heading into the second half of the season.”

With the Vikings healthy and their full lineup back together, that potential was on display against Quaker Valley.

Hopewell established control early in the opening set. Hannah McDowell delivered a big swing off a Teagen Murray set, Mikayla Kurta followed with a kill and Addison Blosnick added another as the Vikings built an early advantage.

Avery Boyd powered a kill through the Quaker Valley block, while Ariana Fischer and Blosnick teamed up for a block to push Hopewell ahead 15-9. McDowell later added a back-row kill following a strong defensive scramble before Murray closed the 25-15 win with back-to-back aces.

The Vikings were even sharper to begin the second.

McDowell buried an overpass before Kurta’s block helped Hopewell jump ahead 4-1 and force an early Quaker Valley timeout. Murray followed with an ace, Boyd scored from the right side and Boyd and Kurta teamed up for a block as the advantage quickly reached 8-1.

Hopewell continued to get production throughout the lineup. Kurta contributed at the net and from the service line, Boyd and McDowell attacked from both sides and Fischer made several heads-up plays at the net.

Quaker Valley made a brief push, but Kurta stopped the run with a kill through the block. McDowell followed with several more kills down the stretch before Fischer finished the 25-16 victory with a well-placed tip into the middle.

Quaker Valley provided its biggest challenge in the third set.

Hopewell raced out to a 5-0 advantage behind a Boyd kill, Murray ace and diving defensive play from Tessa Burgess. Kurta later delivered back-to-back aces to make it 8-3, but Quaker Valley battled back to even the set at 10.

Hopewell responded.

Boyd broke the tie with a hard shot through the block, and after Quaker Valley pulled even again at 11, Blosnick, McDowell and Kurta helped the Vikings regain control. McDowell scored from the back row, outside and with a well-placed push into the middle as Hopewell opened a 16-12 advantage.

Murray connected with Kurta on a bump set for another kill and later added a dump of her own before Kurta’s block stretched the lead to 20-13. One of Hopewell’s best defensive rallies of the night followed, led by Marina Pinchotti, with McDowell eventually finishing it with a kill.

Quaker Valley refused to go quietly, fighting off several match points and pulling within 24-22 before Hopewell closed out the set and completed the sweep.

With the postseason approaching, Borkovic is looking for the Vikings to build on Tuesday night’s performance.

“Consistency in all phases of the game and a balanced attack from all hitters,” Borkovic said. “We need solid contributions from Hannah, Addison, Avery, Mikayla, and Ari.”

Tuesday’s victory provided plenty of that balance, with McDowell, Blosnick, Boyd, Kurta and Fischer all contributing offensively while Murray directed the attack and Hopewell’s defense consistently extended rallies.

“We’re playing with passion and energy,” Borkovic added. “I’m proud of these young ladies!”

Hopewell will have a quick turnaround, welcoming Riverside Wednesday night as the Vikings look to carry their strongest performance of the season into the final stretch of the regular season.

The most important stat of the night though, $2,007.00 raised for the Hair Peace Charities through the Pink Out event!  Thank you to all who donated and participated!

Here’s the play-by-play recap:

Set #1

1-0 Hopewell on the board first on a long return from QV

2-0 Hannah McDowell with the big swing off Teagen Murray’s set

3-2 Mikayla Kurta with the kill

4-3 Marina Pinchotti with a nice read on a long serve

6-3 McDowell with a nice serve forcing the error

7-3 Addison Blosnick hammers a kill

8-4 McDowell with a great pass to Murray who sets Blosnick for the tip shot

9-4 Cici Smetana on the serve, long return from QV

11-6 Both teams trade serving errors

12-7 Smetana & Pinchotti with another good read on a long serve

13-8 Avery Boyd with a hard kill through the block

15-9 Ariana Fischer & Blosnick team up for a block.  Timeout QV.

17-11 McDowell with the back-row kill.  Great defensive scramble on the prior rally

19-11 McDowell on the serve.  QV with an error

20-12 Pinchotti with a good read on the wide serve

22-14 QV with an error

23-15 McDowell with a strong hit forcing the error

25-15 Murray with back-to-back aces to finish Set #1

Set #2

1-1 Tessa Burgess with a great read on a wide serve

2-1 McDowell absolutely buries an over pass

4-1 Kurta with a block at the net, forcing an error.  Timeout QV

5-1 Murray on the serve, QV with an error on the return

6-1 Murray with an ace

7-1 Boyd hits one through the block off Murray’s backset

8-1 Boyd & Kurta team up for a block

10-3 Kurta on the serve.  Fischer with a heads up play at the net off a block

11-3 Kurta with an ace

12-3 Boyd with a big swing from the right side

13-4 McDowell with a kill on the right side off another Murray backset

14-6 Murray with a dump causing QV chaos

15-7 Smetana with a good read on a long serve

16-7 Pinchotti with a great serve.  Kurta with a desperation tip shot finding the floor

17-7 Smetana with a nice pass to Murray who feeds Kurta for a kill

19-10 Burgess with an ace

20-13 Kurta with a kill through the block to stop a QV run

21-13 McDowell leaves no doubt on a kill from the outside

22-13 Kurta rejects one at the net

23-15 McDowell with a kill to the backrow

24-15 McDowell again on the right side, places one for a kill

25-16 Fischer with a nice tip shot to the middle to end Set #2

Set #3

1-0 Hopewell on the board first on a long serve

3-0 Boyd with a right side hit through the block.

4-0 Murray with an ace that drops right over the net

5-0 Burgess with an awesome dive play that QV returns long

6-3 QV with a long return ending an early run

8-3 Kurta with back-to-back aces

9-5 Murray with a will timed dump to the campfire

10-5 McDowell with an ace

10-9 QV on another run

10-10 Tied up

11-10 Boyd with a hard shot through a block for a point

11-11 Tied up again

12-11 Blosnick with a nice play off the Murray set

13-11 McDowell comes through on the backrow kill

14-12 Blosnick with a big swing and kill.  Nice pass from Smetana

15-12 McDowell hammers an outside kill through the block

16-12 McDowell again, this time with a push to the middle.  Timeout QV

17-12 Burgess on the serve.  QV with an error

18-12 Murray with a great bump set that Kurta sends to the floor

19-13 Murray with another dump to the middle

20-13 Kurta with a block

21-13 An excellent defensive rally from Hopewell ended by McDowell’s kill

21-17 QV hanging around on a run

23-17 Kurta on the serve, forcing a QV error

24-18 Burgess with a great read on a long shot from QV.  Match point for Hopewell.

24-22 QV fighting off some match points.  Timeout Hopewell

25-22 Hopewell finishes off QV in straight sets.

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Hopewell HS Girls Volleyball

Important Night Tomorrow for the Hopewell HS Girls Volleyball Program; Please Help Support

by Mike Vukovcan
written by Mike Vukovcan 2 minutes read

VSN wanted to remind you about an important event taking place tomorrow evening at Hopewell High School.

The Hopewell Girls Volleyball team will be hosting Quaker Valley in an important section match tomorrow with playoff implications but that’s not the most important thing that will take place.

The Vikings Volleyball program will be hosting their annual Pink Out event, which is dedicated to raising awareness and funds in support of breast cancer.

The Hopewell High School Girls Volleyball team is committed to advocating for the breast cancer community. This year, they are proudly supporting Hair Peace Charities, an organization especially close to our program. High School Head Coach Terry Borkovic’s wife, Michelle, is a Breast Cancer Survivor, making this mission deeply personal to our Viking family.

To help them reach their fundraising goals, we are seeking donations from local businesses who share our passion for making a difference — and we kindly ask for commitments as soon as possible so they can finalize event materials.

Here’s how you can get involved:

  • In‑Kind Donations: Items such as food, beverages, raffle prizes, or services that can be used during our event. Early commitments help us plan and promote effectively.
  • Monetary Donations: Every dollar directly supports Hair Peace Charities and makes an impact on breast cancer patients. Even small contributions made this week help us meet our fundraising deadline.
  • Event Participation: Please attend the Pink Out event! Your presence strengthens our community and helps raise awareness.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to support this Pink Out event and Hair Peace Charities. Together, we can make a meaningful impact on the lives of those affected by breast cancer.

As mentioned earlier, this is also a very meaningful match for Hopewell as they battle to secure a spot in the playoffs.

Here’s an updated look at the standings and keep in mind, the top four teams in the section qualify for the playoffs. Let’s pack Hopewell High School tomorrow night and cheer on the girls as well as supporting their Pink Out Event. The varsity match begins at 7:30 PM, with the JV getting underway at 6 PM.

CLASS 3A/SECTION 2
Riverside: 6-1
Avonworth: 6-1
Quaker Valley: 4-3
Hopewell: 4-3
Mohawk: 3-4
Beaver Falls: 1-5
Ellwood City: 0-7

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Hopewell HS Girls Volleyball

Hopewell Girls JV Volleyball Rolls Again, Getting Past Mohawk in Straight Sets

by vikingssportsn
written by vikingssportsn 4 minutes read

Hopewell, PA – Hopewell’s Junior Varsity Volleyball Team (6-4) put together one of its more complete performances of the season Thursday night, controlling Mohawk from the start in a 25-12, 25-8 straight-set victory, their 4th straight win.

The Vikings jumped in front immediately in the opening set behind an Ava Ray ace and never surrendered the lead. Abby Babinsack provided an early spark at the net with a kill, tip and ace, with Bella Cipolla and Ray providing the defense, while Alyssa Phillips and Lillian Otto helped Hopewell steadily build its advantage on offense.

Otto delivered three early kills, including one off a Brooke Otto set and another following a nice pass from Liliana Katcher, before adding an ace to push Hopewell ahead 11-6. Phillips added a down-ball kill and Babinsack followed with a kill and block as the Vikings stretched the lead to 16-8.
Hopewell continued to pull away from there. Katcher added an ace, Brooke Otto found the floor with a tip and the Vikings reached set point at 24-12. Katcher then provided the pass, Brooke Otto the set and Lillian Otto the finish as Hopewell closed out the opening set, 25-12.

The second set was even more decisive.

Hopewell raced out to a 9-0 advantage behind strong passing from Gianna Rossi and a balanced attack at the net. Phillips, Babinsack and Lillian Otto all contributed kills during the opening run, while Katcher added an ace. The Vikings continued to get contributions throughout the lineup as Sophia Catanzarite delivered a kill and another strong swing, Ellie McCoy added a pair of points at the net and Kelsey Homick helped start a rally that ended with McCoy putting away a kill. Brooke Otto added an ace before Ray came on late with back-to-back kills.

Hopewell’s passing helped keep the offense in rhythm throughout the second set, with Rossi, Katcher and Lily Cain all contributing defensively as the Vikings were able to attack from several spots on the floor. Phillips put away one final kill following a long rally to get Hopewell to match point
before the Vikings finished off the 25-8 win and the straight-set sweep.

After having to battle through several tight matches early in the season, Hopewell left little doubt in this one. The Vikings controlled both sets, spread the offense throughout the lineup and turned consistent passing into one of their most complete team efforts of the season. They’re hitting their stride at nice point of the season.

Here’s a play-by-play recap:

Set #1
1-0 Ava Ray gets Hopewell on the board first with an ace
2-0 Abby Babinsack with a hit off the Brooke Otto set for a point
3-2 Alyssa Phillips with a nice kill from the outside
4-2 Babinsack places a tip shot on the line. Ray with a nice pass leading to it
5-4 Lillian Otto with a kill off the set from Otto. Bella Cipolla with a nice pass.
6-4 Babinsack with an ace
8-4 Lillian Otto with a nice shot for another kill
9-5 Otto with another kill. Nice pass from Liliana Katcher.
11-6 Lillian Otto with an ace
13-8 Phillips with a down ball to the middle for a kill
14-8 Babinsack with a kill that just catches the left side
16-8 Babinsack with a block at the net
17-9 Phillips with a big swing off the Otto set for a kill
18-9 Katcher with an ace that just cries over the net
20-10 Otto and Otto tip-toe the line at the net on a play, forcing the Mohawk error.
21-10 Brooke Otto with a great tip at the net
23-13 Brooke Otto with a serve causing the Mohawk error.
24-12 Mohawk with an error getting Hopewell to set point.
25-12 Katcher with the pass, Otto with the set and Otto with the kill.

Set #2
1-0 Gianna Rossi with a nice pass that finds its way to Phillips for a kill.
3-0 Babinsack with a kill off. Katcher on the serve
4-0 Lillian Otto with a great free ball that fools Mohawk.
5-0 Rossi with another pass to Brooke Otto, setting Lillian Otto for the kill
6-0 Another great pass from Rossi
8-0 Babinsack with a big swing off the backset from Otto
9-0 Katcher with an ace
10-1 Rossi one hands a pass that Sophia Catanzarite finishes off with strong kill
11-1 Sophia with another hit forcing the Mohawk error
12-1 Katcher with a freeball from deep forcing an error
13-1 Ellie McCoy with a hit forcing the error.
14-1 Otto sets Babinsack in the backrow for a kill
15-1 Babinsack with an ace
16-2 A nice rally. Kelsey Homick with the pass to Otto who feeds McCoy for a kill
18-2 Brooke Otto with an ace
21-4 Lillian Otto on the serve, forcing the error.
22-4 Lily Cain with the pass ending with a big hit from Ray for a kill
23-5 Ray with another kill on a down ball
24-5 Another nice rally. Katcher with several passes. Phillips with the kill.
25-8 Hopewell finishes off Set #2 for a dominant win.

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Hopewell HS Girls Volleyball

Hopewell HS Girls Volleyball Sweeps Mohawk Behind Strong Finishes

by vikingssportsn
written by vikingssportsn 5 minutes read

Hopewell, PA – Hopewell (5-5 / 4-3) picked up a straight-set victory over Mohawk on Thursday night, overcoming a slow start in the opener before closing out the match 25- 20, 26-24 and 25-19.

The Vikings found themselves in an early hole in the first set as Mohawk built an 18-12 advantage. Ayla Pisano helped stop the run with a shot to the back corner before Avery Boyd added a tip, Pisano followed with an ace and Jiselle Cain came up with a block as Hopewell began working its way back.

Trailing 20-18, Hopewell turned the set over to Hannah McDowell at the service line. After a Mohawk error pulled the Vikings within one, McDowell delivered back-to-back aces to give Hopewell its first lead at 21-20. She added another ace out of a Mohawk timeout; Boyd followed with a kill and Tessa Burgess made a nice read on a long return before McDowell capped the comeback with another ace for a 25-20 win.

Hopewell carried that momentum into the second set, getting contributions throughout the lineup. Abby Babinsack delivered a kill, and a block, Ariana Fischer and Addison Blosnick provided power at the net, while Pisano continued to distribute the ball to McDowell and Boyd.

The Vikings led 20-17 before Mohawk battled back to tie the set at 21 and eventually grabbed a 24-23 advantage. McDowell answered to even things at 24 before Blosnick took over at the net, putting away an overpass and following with a left side kill to give Hopewell the 26-24 win.

Hopewell was more in control throughout the third set. Boyd, McDowell and Blosnick provided the early offense before the Vikings began to pull away midway through the set. Cici Smetana made a nice defensive read, Fischer added a block and Blosnick mixed in a pair of well-placed tips as Hopewell stretched its advantage to 20-13.

Marina Pinchotti followed with an ace before Babinsack put away a kill off a Brooke Otto set to help push the lead to 23-14. Mohawk made one final run to close within 23-18, but Hopewell stopped it following a timeout. Otto and Smetana combined on a nice read to get the Vikings to match point before McDowell finished the night with a kill off another Otto set for the 25-19 victory.

George's Family Restaurant

Established in 1986, family owned and serving the Beaver County community for over 40 years. Serving breakfast favorites and lunch specials.

The first two sets required Hopewell to make plays late, but the Vikings responded each time. The opening-set comeback provided the spark, while the third set showed a more consistent Hopewell attack as the Vikings finished off the sweep.

Hopewell remains at home next week, with back-to-back home games on Tuesday 10/6 vs Quaker Valley and Wednesday 10/7 vs Riverside.

Here’s a play-by-play recap:
Set #1
1-2 Hopewell on the board off a Mohawk serving error
3-2 Hannah McDowell with a big swing for a kill.
4-4 Tessa Burgess & Marina Pinchotti with a good read on a long serve
5-4 Pinchotti with an ace
6-7 McDowell with a tip shot to the middle
7-7 McDowell on the serve now, forcing a wide return
9-10 Addison Blosnick with a big hit through the block for a kill
10-11 Ariana Fischer with a sharp kill off the Ayla Pisano set
11-15 Mohawk on an early run forcing a Hopewell timeout
12-18 Pisano with a much needed shot to the back corner
13-18 Avery Boyd tips on over for a point
14-18 Pisano with an ace
15-18 Jiselle Cain with a block at the net
16-19 McDowell with a strong kill from the right side
18-20 Boyd with a kill off the Pisano set. Burgess with the pass.
19-20 McDowell on the serve, a wide return from Mohawk
21-20 McDowell with back-to-back aces to tie it up and grab the lead. Timeout Mohawk.
22-20 McDowell with another ace out the timeout
23-20 Boyd with a kill from the right side
24-20 A nice read by Burgess on a long return
25-20 McDowell caps the comeback off with an ace

Set #2
1-1 Hopewell on the board off the Mohawk error.
3-2 Abby Babinsack with a push shot to the middle, causing the error.
4-4 Burgess with a great read on a long shot.
5-5 Fischer hammers a kill to the backline
6-5 Pisano sets McDowell for the back row kill
7-6 Blosnick crushes another ball for a kill
8-7 A nice defensive rally from Hopewell forcing an error
9-7 Babinsack with kill off Pisano’s set
10-7 McDowell with a kill from her outside office.
11-8 Pisano tips one over forcing an error
12-8 Pisano with the backset to Boyd for the right-side kill
13-8 Burgess with a desperation freeball that find the floor
14-10 Burgess with a great pass that Pinchotti free balls over leading to a point
15-11 Boyd with a beautiful outside kill off the Pisano set
16-11 McDowell with an ace
17-15 Mohawk with the error ending a run.
18-16 Pinchotti with a good read on a long serve
19-17 Babinsack with a block
20-17 Burgess on the serve, forcing a Mohawk error.
20-19 Mohawk not going away this set
21-19 Babinsack hits one forcing the error
21-21 Mohawk ties it up
22-21 McDowell with a hit that catches the back corner
23-22 Fischer kills an overpass
23-23 Tied up again
23-24 Mohawk grabs the lead, timeout Hopewell.
24-24 Hopewell ties it up on McDowel
25-24 McDowell on the serve, Blosnick kills the overpass
26-24 Blosnick with the left side kill to grab set 2 late.

Set #3
1-1 McDowell blasts one through the block to get Hopewell on the board
2-1 Boyd with a strong right side hit for a kill
3-1 Pisano & Burgess with a good read on a long return
4-3 Boyd with a left side kill this time. Pisano with the set
5-4 McDowell hits one through the block for a kill
6-5 McDowell with a nice read on a long return
7-6 Blosnick tips a ball over off the pass from Fischer
8-6 Blosnick again with the hit forcing an error. Pinchotti with a nice serve
10-8 Blosnick with another heater for a kill
11-8 Burgess on the serve forcing an error
12-8 Cici Smetana with a great read on a shot to the side
13-10 McDowell with a kill off the Pisano set
14-10 Pisano with a great serve forcing the error
15-10 McDowell with a block at the net
17-11 Babinsack on the serve, McDowell with a strong outside kill
18-12 Fischer with a great block that finds the floor
19-13 Blosnick tips one over fooling the defense
20-13 Blosnick with another tip shot. Timeout Mohawk.
21-13 Pinchotti with an ace
23-14 Babinsack with the kill off the Brooke Otto set
23-18 Mohawk on a run forcing a Hopewell timeout
24-18 Hopewell gets to match point on a nice read by Otto and Smetana on the side
25-19 McDowell finishes out the match off the Otto set.

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Hopewell HS Girls Volleyball

Hopewell HS Girls Volleyball Pull Away Late for 3-0 Sweep of Ellwood City

by vikingssportsn
written by vikingssportsn 5 minutes read

Hopewell – Hopewell (4-5/3-3) battled through two tight sets before putting together a dominant finish Thursday night, sweeping Ellwood City (25-21, 25-22 and 25-6).

The Vikings controlled much of the opening set but had to withstand a late Wolverines rally. Ellwood City erased a 16-12 deficit and eventually took a 20-19 lead before Hopewell responded.

Jiselle Cain delivered consecutive kills to put the Vikings back in front, 21-20, and Hopewell closed the set on a 6-1 run. Cain finished it with a kill to the back corner for the 25-21 victory.

The second set followed a similar path. Hopewell raced to an 8-1 lead behind Hannah McDowell, Avery Boyd and Cain, only to see Ellwood City battle back and eventually take a 17-16 advantage.

From there, the team traded points through six ties before Hopewell made its move at 22-22. McDowell found the back corner to regain the lead, then fired a great serve, causing an Ellwood overpass that Addison Blosnick soundly hammered to the floor. McDowell followed with an ace to finish the 25-22 win.

After being pushed throughout the first two sets, Hopewell left no doubt in the third. Ayla Pisano took over from the service line, serving 17 consecutive pints as the Vikings turned an early lead into a commanding 21-2 advantage. Pisano mixed in several aces during the run, while McDowell repeatedly found the floor from the left side. Boyd and Cain teamed up for a block, and Tessa Burgess helped anchor a strong defensive effort.

Marina Pinchotti added an ace late before McDowell fittingly closed the night with a backrow kill for the 25-6 victory.

The first two sets were certainly closer than Hopewell would have liked, as the Vikings struggled to maintain separation after building early leads. The good news is that changed in the third set, where Hopewell showed what this group is capable of when it plays with purpose.

Hopewell was aggressive from the service line, sharp defensively and decisive at the net, turning a competitive match into a commanding 25-6 final set. Finding that level of play more consistently will be the challenge moving forward.

Hopewell gets a much-needed break next week, with just one match on the schedule, Thursday, 10/1 vs Mohawk. The lighter week comes at a good time for the Vikings, providing an opportunity to rest and get some injured players healthy for the stretch run.

Here is the play-by-play recap:

Set #1
1-0 Hopewell on the board first with the Jiselle Cain kill.
2-1 Hannah McDowell with a big kill off the Ayla Pisano set
3-1 A heads up play by Avery Boyd to one hand an overpass to the middle
4-3 Avery Boyd with a hard shot to the back row for a kill
5-3 Marina Pinchotti on the serve, forcing an Ellwood error
6-3 Pinchotti with an ace
8-4 McDowell with an ace
9-6 Ariana Fischer with a hard kill off the Pisano middle set.
11-7 Addison Blosnick hammers a kill through the block
12-8 A beautiful bump set from Pisano that Blosnick flips to the floor
13-8 Cain with a quick flip on an overpass that went back and forth
14-10 Cain rejects another overpass
15-11 Boyd with a nice cross-court shot for a kill
16-12 McDowell with a nice tip shot from the right side
16-16 Ellwood with a 4-point to tie up the match
17-16 Boyd this time with the right-side tip shot
18-16 Boyd on the serve, forcing the error. Timeout Ellwood.
19-17 McDowell with the backrow kill, set by Pisano.
19-19 Ellwood ties it back up
19-20 Ellwood grabs the lead
20-20 Cain with a nice kill just catching the backline
21-20 Cain with another kill, off the set from Pisano and pass from Cici Smetana
22-20 A back and forth rally ending with an Ellwood error
23-20 Hopewell regaining control. McDowell with a big swing leading to an error
24-20 Hopewell gets to set point
25-21 Cain with a kill to the back corner to end Set #1

Set #2
1-1 McDowell with the kill after a great pass from Tessa Burgess
2-1 Pisano with a nice serve forcing the error
3-1 Boyd with hard kill off the Pinchotti set
4-1 Cain with a hard kill after an extended back and forth rally
6-1 Ellwood with a long return. Timeout Wolverines.
7-1 Boyd and Cain team up for a block
8-1 McDowell buries an overpass inside the 10-foot line
8-7 Ellwood on a 6-point run
9-7 A nice read by Pinchotti & Burgess on a long serve
10-7 Pinchotti with an ace
11-7 Another nice serve from Pinchotti forcing the error
12-7 McDowell with a kill off the Pisano set
13-7 Fischer with a big swing that gets returned as an overpass that she hammers again
14-7 Pinchotti with an ace. Timeout Ellwood.
15-10 Boyd with a nice right side hit for a point
16-17 Ellwood on another run, grabbing the lead. Timeout Hopewell.
17-17 Ellwood with a long return
18-17 Fischer with an ace
18-18 Tied up again
19-18 Blosnick hammers the kill through the block
19-19 Tied up again
20-20 McDowell with a nice shot that finds the floor
21-20 Pisano on the serve. Burgess with an excellent read on a long return
21-21 Tied up again
22-21 McDowell again comes up with big shot.
22-22 Tied up again
23-22 McDowell with a heads-up push shot to the back corner
24-22 McDowell with a nice serve, overpassed right into Blosnick’s swing.
25-22 McDowell with an ace to finish off Set #2

Set #3
1-0 Hopewell in front early on the Ellwood net error
2-0 Pisano with the kill, catching the back corner
3-1 McDowell with a big swing, forcing the Ellwood error
6-1 Pisano with back-to-back aces
7-1 Burgess with an awesome defensive set, 3 passes on that rally. Timeout Ellwood.
8-1 Boyd and Cain team up again for the block
9-1 McDowell skies into the set for an awesome outside kill
11-1 McDowell again with a big swing.
12-1 McDowell again, feeling it from the left side.
15-1 Pisano continuing great serving accuracy to extend the lead. Timeout Ellwood.
16-1 Cain getting into the action with a nice kill
17-1 Pisano with an ace
18-1 Burgess with a great read on a long return
19-1 Pisano with another ace
20-1 McDowell with another great kill off the Pisano set.
21-2 Pisano’s serving run comes to an end after 17 straight.
22-2 Pinchotti with an ace
23-2 Addison Pavlisko with a great pass leading to the Ellwood error
24-3 Hopewell gets to match point.
25-6 McDowell ends the Set and Match with a backrow kill.

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Hopewell HS Girls Volleyball

Hopewell’s Junior Varsity Girls Volleyball Rolls Past Ellwood City in Straight Sets

by vikingssportsn
written by vikingssportsn 3 minutes read

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP– Hopewell’s Junior Varsity Girls Volleyball team (5-4) controlled Ellwood City from the start Thursday night, earning a 25-11, 25-13 straight-set victory.

The Vikings jumped ahead quickly in the opening set behind Abby Babinsack at the net and strong serving form Ava Ray and Liliana Katcher. After Ellwood City briefly cut into the lead, Lillian Otto stopped the run with a strong swing before Brooke Otto answered an ace.

Hopewell pulled away from there. Babinsack and Alyssa Phillips supplied the offense at the net, while Katcher continued a strong night in service receive. One of Hopewell’s best sequences came when Katcher handled a difficult serve, Brooke Otto delivered the set and Phillips finished with a strong swing. Katcher eventually closed the 25-11 win with an ace.

The Viking were just as sharp in the second set, racing to a 6-0 lead. Lillian Otto, Babinsack and Ellie McCoy provided kills, while Brooke Otto mixed in an ace and a well-placed one-handed dump. Lily Cain made several great defensive reads as well.

Hopewell’s front row took over late, with Lillian Otto and McCoy putting away overpasses before Babinsack added an ace during the closing stretch. Kelsey Homick came off the bench and immediately forced an error from the service line as the Vikings finished off the 25-13 victory.

It was a controlled, consistent performance from Hopewell, which served aggressively, passed well and turned defense into offense throughout the night. Every Hopewell JV player contributed to the night, making it a total team victory. The Vikings stayed in command from beginning to end and showed what they can look like when all phases of their game are working together.

George's Family Restaurant

Established in 1986, family owned and serving the Beaver County community for over 40 years. Serving breakfast favorites and lunch specials.

Hopewell gets a breather next week, with just a single contest on Thursday (October 1st) at home vs. Mohawk.

Here’s the play-by-play recap:

Set #1
1-0 Hopewell in front early. Abby Babinsack with nice touch on a kill off the Brooke Otto set.
2-0 Ava Ray with an ace
3-1 A wide return from Ellwood City
4-1 Babinsack with another kill, getting a piece of the backrow.
5-1 Liliana Katcher on the serve, forcing the Ellwood error
7-1 Katcher with an ace
8-1 A defensive scramble from Hopewell just gets over the net, forcing the error.
9-4 Lillian Otto with a nice hit, causing the error and stopping a run
10-7 Another Ellwood run, stopped by a long serve.
11-7 Brooke Otto with an ace
12-8 A nice read by Gianna Rossi on a long serve
14-8 Lillian Otto with an ace
15-8 A nice defensive and offensive sequence from Hopewell. Timeout Ellwood.
16-8 A great tip at the net from Brooke Otto
17-9 Sophia Catanzarite with a nice push shot to the back corner, forcing the error.
18-9 Babinsack with a nice swing, catching the sideline.
19-9 Bella Cipolla on the serve, forcing an Ellwood error.
20-9 Katcher with an excellent pass on a tough hit, that Otto sets to Alyssa Phillips for nice
swing
22-9 Babinsack with a big swing, that Ellwood returns as an overpass right to Phillips for a
smash
23-10 Babinsack with a kill on an Ellwood overpass.
24-11 Phillips with a nice kill off the Sam Holsinger set.
25-11 Katcher with an ace to finish out a strong Set #1

Set #2
1-0 Hopewell in front early on the Ellwood serving error
2-0 Katcher with a nice pass to Brooke Otto, setting Lillian Otto for the swing.
4-0 Katcher with an ace
6-0 Babinsack with a nice shot through the block
7-1 A nice read by Lily Cain on the long serve
8-1 Another nice read by Cain, this time on the side
9-1 Lillian Otto with a strong kill to the backrow
10-5 Ellie McCoy with a strong hit for a kill off the Otto set
11-5 Brooke Otto with a strong serve, causing the error
12-5 Otto with an ace
14-7 A great rally from Hopewell, ending with Katcher bump setting Phillips for a tip shot
16-8 Holsinger on the serve, Brooke Otto with a one-handed dump just inside the sideline
17-9 Babinsack tips one over left-handed, fooling the defense.
18-9 Katcher with an ace. Timeout Ellwood.
19-11 Katcher with a good read on a high arching serve
20-11 Lillian Otto drops the overpass for a point
21-11 McCoy takes a turn rejecting an overpass
22-11 Lillian Otto connects again on a hard kill to the backrow
23-11 Babinsack continuing a strong serving run with an ace.
24-11 Kelsey Homick in to serve, forcing the Ellwood error.
25-13 Hopewell finishes off the Set and Match for the win.

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