vikingssportsn 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.
