As Saturday, November 15 rolled around the corner, the Hopkins volleyball team found themselves in Huntingdon, Pa to face Eastern University in their third straight NCAA appearance. The team knew they had a tough task ahead of them, but because of their ability to overcome all obstacles coupled with an impressive set of performances in the Centennial Conference playoffs, the Lady Jays felt confident.
However, the first game of the match was all Eastern. They cruised to an easy 25-13 victory over the Blue Jays. The second game was another story, though. The ladies jumped out to an early lead and held it for the majority of the game. After an kill by sophomore Ali Cox, Hopkins was just three points away from winning the second game. And yet, the Lady Jays could not find a way to close out the game, as Eastern hung around and capitalized on a plethora of mistakes to take a 2-0 lead. The second game ended on an 8-0 run in favor of Eastern as they came back to shock the Lady Jays.
The third game also did not end in favor of the Blue Jays. They fell behind early and could not overcome the early deficit as Eastern cruised to another easy game, sweeping the Jays 3-0 to capture the win. This was the first time in Hopkins volleyball program history that a team had surrendered three straight losses in NCAA play and allowed the opponent to sweep them.
Despite the loss, Hopkins was led by junior Meagan Donohoe and sophomore Caitlyn Callihan. Donohoe hit for ten kills while Callihan hit for eight kills of her own with an average of .350. Sophomore Erin Hillman carried the Eastern team to their victory with 13 kills and a hitting percentage of .632.
Sophomore Carolyn Zin, who was recently named an Academic All-American for Hopkins, commented on the plan heading into the match. “We entered the match knowing that if we brought our game, stayed aggressive, and took note of the scout, we would be happy with the result. Our mentality especially in the conference playoffs and NCAA postseason tournament was to take each match one at a time. Unfortunately, we did not bring our best game to the match against Eastern. We had flashes of our great Hopkins volleyball style of play, but we didn't stay consistent with this throughout the match. We respect Eastern, and we wish them luck for the remainder of the tournament. Every point, every set, every match is part of a larger learning process. While we were disappointed that we didn't play to the standard that we wanted in our last match, we are very happy with the season.”
Even though the season did not end in the fashion that was desired by the team, there is a common feeling about a positive future in the program. Losing only one senior, the girls are ready to work their hardest to come back stronger than ever next season.
“We have a very positive outlook on the season," said Zin. "We began our season playing some of the best teams in the nation, showing that we can compete. As a team, especially with a coaching change, there was some adjusting that had to be done. Together, we have grown not only in the physical aspect of the game, but also in our mental toughness. We proved victorious in defending our Conference title! Our future is bright, and we can only improve with more time in the gym and during the offseason."
Zin commented on how expectations are high for next season and that a lot of work needs to be done in the offseason. “Looking into next season, we are definitely a team to watch! The best way to improve in volleyball is to keep playing and to watch volleyball. During the offseason, we will focus on becoming stronger in the weight room as well as continuing to get touches on the ball.”
The team seems to be taking the loss seriously, but at the same time seeing the positives of the future. After winning the Centennial Conference Championship, hard work in the off-season combined with a strong team chemistry sounds like the perfect formula for another great season of Hopkins volleyball next fall. The girls have their eyes and hearts set on taking their game to an even higher level heading into next season.
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