The HCC women's volleyball dropped their 5th straight match, this time in heartbreaking fashion as they lost to NOVA 3-2.

The Dragons jumped out to a 10-6 lead in the first set on a 7-2 run highlighted by Essence Holtzclaw (Atlanta, GA, Arundel HS) with a booming kill. NOVA fought back to make it 20-19 before a couple of NOVA service errors allowed the Dragons to take the first set 25-21 capped by a mighty spike by Chelsea Parrinello (Finksburg, MD, Westminster HS). 

NOVA was able to turn things around in the second set as they never trailed in the whole second stanza. Parrinello was able to get back-to-back aces to make it 17-14 NOVA, but a 6 point run by the Nighthawks allowed them to pull away and take it 25-15. The 3rd set continued to highlight the Dragon's struggles as they were routed 25-12 to go behind 2-1 in sets.

The 4th set was much more dramatic as NOVA jumped to an early 8-3 lead before the Dragons fought back. A service ace by Karina Ruiz (Beltsville, MD, Shenendoah Valley Academy) got things going as kills by Julia Boras (Baltimore, MD, Oakland Mills HS), Holtzclaw, and Parrinello evened the set at 17-17. Stephanie Bartylla (Westminster, MD, Manchester Valley HS) came up with a clutch kill to take the first lead of the set for HCC and a dual block by Bartylla and Boras gave the Dragons a 23-19 lead. NOVA went on a 4 point run to tie the set at 23-23, but another huge spike by Parrinello and a ball handling error by NOVA closed out the set and tied the match at 2-2.

With the match going into a deciding 5th set, the match couldn't have been more even as the score was tied at 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. A big kill by Taylor Bowen (Mount Airy, MD, South Carroll HS) gave the Dragons an 11-10 lead in the set, but 5 kills in the next 6 points for NOVA allowed them to close out the match at 15-12 for a 3-2 match win.

Parrinello led the team with 9 kills followed by Bowen with 8 and Holtzclaw with 6. Setter Boras finished with 27 assists and the Dragons defense was led by libero Allia Mostafa (Columbia, MD, Oakland Mills HS) with 19 digs. 

The Dragons will have a chance to bounce-back right away as they take on Baltimore City CC on Tuesday October 6th with the match scheduled for 7:30 PM.