McHenry, MD - For the first time under head coach Jailyn Ivey, the Howard Community College Dragons swept a tri-match, defeating Garrett College 3-1 and Baltimore City Community College 3-0 last Saturday!

The Dragons double-victory ensures that they will play postseason games later this month, as they are currently seeded seventh in the Region 20 playoffs with one week to go in the regular season.

Game One: Dragons 3, Lakers 1
The Dragons kicked off Saturday with a much-needed win, defeating Garrett 3-1 in front of a hostile Lakers crowd. Howard took command of the match early, taking the first set 25-19. The Dragons came out fast, aggressive, and loud, with their front row dominating the Lakers. Garrett couldn't seem to keep up, but something shifted between sets.

The Lakers showed more confidence in set two despite the Dragons once again taking the victory. Howard narrowly won 25-23, taking a 2-0 lead over the Lakers in the series. A huge contributor to Howard's 2-0 lead was Arianna Layne (Bridgetown, Barbados/Combermere School), who finished the game with an eye-opening 13 kills.

The third set arrived, and the Lakers started to figure it out. Garrett took the set from Howard with a commanding 25-15 victory to keep their hopes alive.

Set four was a war, both teams going point-for-point, both teams battling fiercely for the victory. Howard's energy was different after losing set three, and the refused to let the Lakers extend the game by another set. The Dragons looked like the team they had been evolving into all season, showing confidence, unity, and playing with a passion. Cheyenne Ellis (Eldersburg, MD/Century) exemplified this, boosting her teammates with 32 assists. The Dragons narrowly scored the victory 25-23, clinching a 3-1 victory and taking another step closer to a first-round bye.

Game Two: Dragons 3, Panthers 0
The Dragons didn't waste any time picking up where they left off earlier in the day, sweeping Baltimore City Community College in three straight sets (25-10, 25-10, 25-4).

From the first serve, it was all Dragons, as they won each set by a margin of 15 or more points. It wasn't just the offense, as Howard's defense was locked in. Layne once again led the team in kills with eight. Zyon Austin (Odenton, MD/Meade) wasn't far behind with seven herself, and she also managed to lead the team in digs with 11. Cheyenne Ellis (Eldersburg, MD/Century) was frustrating BCCC's hitters with an insane nine aces, and led the team in assists with 24. The communication, hustle, and energy from the entire team were on full display all afternoon.

The Dragons completely showed out in this Tri-Match and the chemistry and trust this group has built throughout the season is clearly showing. With the win, Howard continues to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the season, improving to 10-7.

The Dragon's next outing will be on Wednesday, October 15th at 7:00 P.M. in front of their home crowd for sophomore night. They'll face a tough task as they play defending Region 20 champions Harford!